The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-01-12

dNdtlOT.
n such laws as ! have herein sug.
gested were enacted. | believe that
adequate revenue could be derived
for the conduct of the state govern
ment, without any substantial change
in the present methods OF assessing
the real and personal property OF the
state. But manfestly, from the stand
point OF fairness, as well rs from the
standpoint OF eXpediency, there should
be n change in the present method
Of assessing the real and personal
property subject to n property tax.
The constitution Of the state provides
that all property shall be assessed
in proportion to Its valne,' and the
laws of the state provide that the
property owners shall return and that
the assessors shall assess all real and
personal property at its true value. II
Is made the duty OF the county boards
Of equalization to equali2e assessments
by raising the valuation Of all prop
erty which has been assessed or re.
turned below Its real value" and II
is made the duty Of the state board
of equalization to equalize assessments
by adding to each class OF property
which IL believes TO be valued below
it's real value in money" such per
centum as will increase the same to
its true value
None of these laws is either en-.
forced or observed. Under the system
existing now In the state of Missouri
real estate, outside Of the large cities
is usually assessed at from Is to 80 l.3
per cent Of its actual value. In the
cities, It is generally assessed at from
40 to Go per cent OF its actual value.
While personal property throughout
the state, such as live stock, Is usu-
ally assessed at about the same per
CCntage OF its actual value as real
estate. such personal property as mon.
eys, credits, notes and bonds, together
with bank stock, is assessed at from
80 to 100 per cent of It's actual value
one of the resulting evils Of this un-
ing intangible personal property, such
as moneys, notes and bonds, do not
make a correct return of the same for
the purpose of taxation, and the JUS.
tilcaiiOn that they offer In so doing
is that the property of their neighbOr,
which consists Of real estate, is re-
turned or assessed at far less per
cent OF It's actual value than would
be their moneys or their bonds, in
case they returned them to the tax
assessor for the purpose Of taxation
one Of the objections urged to the
enforcement OF our present laws is
that it would increase the tax upon
the real and tangible personal prop.
erty of the state. This is not necCs.
garily true The constitution provides
that the tax rate for state purposes
shall not exceed - cents on the hun
drcd dollars valuation; and the limit
for local purposes Is the maximum,
and not the minimum. II the as.
sCssmcnt of the real and personal
property Of the state vas doubled ana
the tax rate reduced one half the
taxes Of any property owner whose
property Is now assessed would re.
main unchanged. But If all property
was returned for the purposes cf tax.
stion and assessed at the same per.
ccn;age OF its value, The tax rate for
state and local purposes could not only
be reduced, but the taxes OF those
who now pay taxes would be reduced
In greater proportion in view Of the
increased amount OF property which
would thereby become subject to as.
scssment. 1t is evident therefore,
that the first step in bringing about
n reform in our present system OF
| taxation Is to secure the return of all
property for the PURPOSE OF assess
mcut, and in order u secure this re-
suit, there must be given the assUr
anCc that all property will be as
scssed at the same percentage Of its
| true value This could be accom-
| plished In one OF two ways: The re
turn Of all property at its lull value
| could be required under effective pen
altcs, and the state board Of equal
| 4a'ion authorized 20 fix the per cent
such valuation which should be
subject to the constitutional tax rate
| for state purposes; or, with all prop
| orty returned al It's full value, tn,
| legislature could fix a tax rate less
| than the constitutional limit which
would produce sufficient revenue tC
| meet It's appropriations.
II the several sources Of revenues
| herein suggested were made ayailabl,
for the purpose OF taxation by proper
| laws. and the return of all property
| for the purpose of taxation was SO
| cured, | am satisfied that II would bt
| possible to reduce the tax rate fol
| state purposes to five cents, or ever
| less, upon each one hundred dollar.
of valuation. or 10 reduce the per cen
Of actual value of all property fol
| the purposes of taxation to at leas
- per cent.
Home Rule.
| Another subject of continuing i'm
p9rtance Is the relation between Tho
| state government and It's large cities
| While the problem OF the cities is al
ways with us. experience and stud!
enforce the conviction that this prob
| lem should In the first instance be