The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-27
CUT THE LEVY.
Increased Valuation Will Make
This Possible.
Exact Figures Have Not Yet
Been Made.
TO BE LESS THAN S1.56
Advance in Valuation Amounts
to Millions.
Running Expenses of County at
Standstiil.

An increase of several million dol
lars in the total of real estate and
personal property in Topeka and
Shawnee county over last year and
two years ago will make possible a re-
duction of the tax levy under the $1.56
per 800 which was in effect last year.
What the reduction will be, none of the
county officials in charge of taxation
matters are yet ready to say. The
amount of increase in real property
in the city and county is not yet
known. The increase of personal
property is about two and one-half
During the weeks that the work of
making up assessment rolls for the
county and city, the personal property
having just been com pleted. 1t has be-
come daily more evident that a con-
siderably higher valuation than ever
before would be made manifest with
the completion of the work. The an
nual levy will not be made for a month
or more until every adjustment has
been completed and the official report
made to the state tax commission.
But in view of the fact that no ma
terial increase in the running expenses
of the county is in prospect it is ap-
parent that a smaller levy than last
years will meet the requirements of
the city and county governments
wealth in the city and county, the ad-
vance of price of land of all sorts since
the last aDDraisement of real estate
was made in 1908 will be responsible
for the larger figures on the county's
assessment rolls. No one is willing
yet to forecast the degree of reduction
that may be made in the rate of tax
alton but the board of county COM
missioners and County Assessor S. H.
Haynes are anxious that it shall be
sufficient to crafty the tax PAYERS
whose property has been rated high
er this year than before.
City Personal Property.
In the report of the appraisement
of the personal property in the city,
which has just been completed and
made public, is data for an interesting
study of the economic advancement of
Shawnee county people. From the
total on the county books of 15,47S,-
los of personal property, exemption
from taxation is allowed upon $1,096,-
SIS for various reasons. This leaves
$14.474.105 One year ago it was
$12, 6,915, an advance of 2,137, 100.
This is in the city of Topeka alone.
The increase of personal property
values in the country districts amo
ed to about half a. million dollars.
Going into the details of values, the
one division, corporation capital stocks
held in the city of Topeka, showed the
greatest increase, being more than
million dollars greater than last year.
While there was considerably less
money on hand and on deposit in To-
peka on March 1, 1910, than on the
same date of the previous year, it is
shown that substantial increases have
been made in merchants stocks, cash
and credit of merchants, of manufac-
turers stocks, of mortgage invest
ments, of bonds, industrial stocks. of
mobiles, pianos and other items of
personal property from the amount of
which is usually judged the general
Comparisons may be made from the
accompanying table which shows ap-
praised valuations of various articles
this year and last: