Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-30
Council Bluffs
TRUE'S TALK On TAXATION
City Treasurer, in Speech, Shows
Railroads Municipal Payments.
COUNCIL BLUFFS POSITIo
Has Many Terminals, but Present
system of Revenue Deprives IL
of Just Returns from
Corporations.

City Treasurer Frank T. True IN his talk
before the West Council Bluffs Improve
mont club made an argument In favor OF
a revision Of the methods OF taxing rail-
roads and other corporations that has
aroused a great deal OF interest In the city.
lie presented an array OF figures to show
the disadvantage under which the cities
and towns OF the state are placed.
The law was enacted IN 1872 when the
very smallest proportion Of the population
was in the cities. The assessment of the
railroads and oil interstate corporations In
the state is made by state council, COM
posed Of the governor. auditor and secre-
tary of state. The entire mileage Of each
railroad or wire liue in the state is taken
and the total amount Of taxes to be as
sessed is divided by the mileage, giving
the amount to the assessed per mile for
each township in the state through which
the corporation property extends.
In railroad assessment only the main line
mileage Is considered. The townships thus
uniformly get a larger proportion Of the
| taxes to be paid by the companies than
do the cities. and the cities having the
railway terminals derive no tax revenue
| whatever from the enormous investments
| in yards and depots, but only from the
few miles OF main trackege, and even this
is assessed in q first. second and third
rate the third rate embracing the mile
age nearest to the city limits and escap-
ing taxation for about all municipal ex-
penses, leaving only the small mileage near
the center OF the towns to bear it's share
OF the municipal burden.
Position of Council Bluffs.
Council Bluffs is more unhappily situated
in this respect than perhaps any other
! city In the state-it has the greatest
amount of terminals and the least extent
of main line Efforts to repeal the 1872
law and enact a modern measure that
will provide for equitable taxetion have
been made In the last few years. but have
been killed by the combined opposition of
the railroads in the legislature and the
farmers. A fight to win will be made in
the legislature this winter, with the oppo-
siton of the farmers ninimized and that
of the railroads increased TO It's maximum.
Following are some OF the statements
made by Mr.. True:
The last of nine railroads coming into
Council Bluffs was the Chicago & Great
Western For their right-of-way in the
city limits they took more than $4,000
the city in 1869. sS,SS4SS This was the year
previous to It's becoming railroad property
Since that time we have received in taxes
from this same property, as railroad, al
follows; In 1903, 1898 IS; in 1884, $3.50 IS; in 1906
1,06464; in 1906, $l325.O6 in 1907, 81, 5000 ir
1905, 81, 1900. thus showing an actual loss tC
the city OF $l3,5S1.73 in taxes over and above
what IL received prior 10 Its becoming rail
road property, and 1t must be remembered
that the company in addition to taking
this land has expended S250.OO0 In improve
ments. There has not only been an aotua.
loss in revenue, but an additional eypens,
to the city for protection and service tC
said property,
The tax this particular road pays THU
year upon an assessed valuation Of &l4,445 90
the levy upon the same being ninety mills
producing a revenue OF 81. 299.00. This tax
when collected, will be distributed as fol
! lows