The San Francisco call., 1909-09-05
VALUATIONS OF
ASSESSORS LOW
IN 10 COUNTIES
EquaIizers Complete Hearing
and Commence Adjustment
of Conflicting Figures
San Francisco May Be Increased
10 Per Cent and Yet Have
the Taxes Reduced
By PAUL SINsHEIMER
fspeoial Dispatch 10 The Call

fSpeoial Dispatch 10 The Cali
SACRAMENTO. Sept twenty
counties may feel the vigorous hand
- the state board Of equalization.
Eleven Of the 81 cited may escape.
That is the way II looks today. The
next few days may bring about
change here and there, but il is not
likely that many Of those now on the
list VIII squirm out. Sonoma, perhaps.
but even that is doubtful Tulare is
struggling 10 wriggle out. II has been
hammering the board with figures, but
8 hardly will be able TO save itself at
y IS late day.
Assessor Arthur Crowley of Tulare
county. under the impetus OF a stern
= mandate from Alexander Brown. chair
nan Of the equalizatio board, gave his
roll 9 mighty boost this year. He
showed II up some se. .0OO, coo TO $40
.ffs35. certainly a healthy looking ex-
pension- The board made a personal
inspection Of the county. was greatly
impressed by the increasing orange
acreage. and feels inclined 10 hoist Tu-
'are 2 few million more.
REDUCTION ASKED FOR CARS
The board completed its hearing to-
GAY when the Pullman car company.
through its attorney, 7. {. Coogan Of
san Francisco. made its annual plea for
= reduction. The equalizers then took
UP the adjustment of the county assess
ments. This viii continue until Wednes-
day when the whole ron Will be finally
fixed.
II viii take a great deal Of study
before the comparisons can be sifted
and the levy made The figures now
~ hand indicate that the l9 counties
p listed above are below the board S
standard. The figures given are in no
way final or official. but form a very
:a!r estimate Of the situation as il now
presents itself. The percentages may
re altered with the further data that
must be considered.
SMALL RANCHERS TO SUFFER
There appears to be a misundeT-
standing in some Of the counties as TO
the percentage Of increase necessary to
bring them TO standard. Thus River
side, which appears 10 be on a 30 per-
centage footing, could be brought up
70 the so per cent basis. not by an in
crease OF 20 per cent. but by an ad-
vance Of so per cent on its own roll
Ventura presents by far the worst
case. Its roll may be doubled and even
this procedure would bring il to only
about 5s per cent. The case Of Contra
Costa. where the obIiging Jones has
t-rned the corporations loose upon the
- e9pie. is puzzling the state board. The
Increase viii fall upo2 the small ranch
ers, who must pay for the sins of Jones.
This CITY FACES INCREASE
san Francisco may be increased 10
per cent. The board has figures on
' which some members are relying that
indicate a 5s per cent assessment. An
addition OF 10 per cent would add ap-
proximately $50. .0OO. 900 TO the roll and
would incidentally yield the city an ex-
ira $3.50. 600 in taxes. Even with 10
per cent raise it is very probable that
san Francisco's portion of the state
taxes would be reduced IL the proper
advances are made in other sections Of
the state.
Los Angeles presents a difficult case
IN the sense that il is not easy TO name
the exact percentage of undervaluation.
That there has been gross under
valuation IS clear. Only the percenta ge
remains in doubt.
ORANGE GROWERS FAVORED
The evidence against Riverside and
Orange counties was piled higher today
by material submitted upon the order
=. Of the state board. This came by mail
and consisted OF assessments on the
choicest groves. Assessor W. F. Mon
3. rague Of Riverside could show nothing
above $3.50 an acre on oranges. The
value reaches up 70 $4,000 an acre.
= Orange county was worse.
The Chapman orchard Of 2e0 acres
which nets its owner s56, 600 a year, Is
carried on the roll for s50,3I5. The grove
pays SIS per cent net on $1,000.o00
Assessor Scott Of Orange county car
ried some OF his best orchards at 5000
= an acre. In only one or two cases did
ne 20 above $500 an acre.
y The assessment increases will cause
trouble for the county auditors. They
viii require a complete new set of tar
figures