The San Francisco call., 1909-08-28
BY PAUL SINSHEIMER
Special Dispoich 10 The ConI

L os ANGELES, Aug. 27--santa Bar
bara and Ventura counties are
- richer than they knew. The dis
covery OF their hidden weslth-hidden
either from or by the sssessors-was
made today with the assistance of the
state board Of equalization. The sud
zen acquisition of untold riches will
: not be a wholly unmixed blessing
The knowledge of its abundance is
likely to cost the good people Of Ven
tura about 10000 price not unrea-
= sonable for the assurance that the
county, instead Of being laggard
among the family OF nfty-odd. is one
Of the most progressive Of the lot. For
. its glimpse into its own magic cave of
walnuts. beans and beets Santa Bar
bara stands a very good chance of con-
tributing an extra $4,000 to the state
treasury.
The modesty Of Santa Barbara was
limited. That OF Ventura was COM
plete Santa Barbara resisted nightly
the efforts of the equalizers. Ventura
surrendered. There was nothing else
for Ventura to do. Its assessments
were so far below the estimates that
the board OF supervisors of the county
contented themselves with the tender
appeal: Go easy. please"
Ventura at % Per Cent
: The state board has placed its stand
ard at SO per cent valuation. The
ngures developed at todays hearing in
dicate that Ventura county has been
assessed for only % per cent. To be
brought TO the state level it would
appear that it must be more than
doubled. The assessors figures show
2 total OF s11.243,o0O. The board may
see TT on the evidence before it, to
raise this to s2o.0O0.OOO or more.
Santa Barbara. according to the fig
ures brought out today, is assessed OF
a IS per cent basis. Twenty five per
cent must be added. therefore. to bring
it TO standard The total county as
sessment, as reported 10 the board.
showed s2s,S44.570 This may be
boosted TO sSO,OO0.000. The cases of
bo.h counties are open to further study
md before taking final action the board
viii make close inquiry in the sec
ton affected. Enough has been de-
veloped. however, TO show that the
southern counties have been escaping
their just proportion OF state taxation
Censure for Assessors
Chairman Brown took occasion to-
day 10 point out 10 the representatives
of the two counties that il was a mis-
taken policy to return such palpable
undervalustions.
1T is wrong" said Brown. ..Yop
may figure that your state taxation win
be less. but you harm your county more
than you help it. A low assessment
means high tax rate for county pur-
poses. Look al Ventura county with a
local assessment of 1855. 1t is not
fair to your own people. II frightens
spitsI that would otherwise be at
tracted. II you assessed property you
could cut that tax rate way down. An
other thing-you blind people to the
real value Of your land. You have bean
land worth $500 an acre and you carry
it for only 25 per cent OF its value. You
are not fair to yourselves
Striking Discrepancies
Through both Ventura and Santa
Barbara counties the most striking dis
crepancies were in the assessment OF
fruit and farming 1and. Prize walnut
tracts with bearing trees. worth $500 to
$500 an acre. appeared on the books of
Assessor T. r. Rowe Of Santa Barbara
county at s175 an acre. Choice lima
cOnslnued on page 9. column q