American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-05-20
BINGHAM ASSESSOR
LEVIES THE LIMIT
Valuations Should Be Revised
Downward.
Lands Assessed for More than Owners
Ask for Them Farm Assessed at
81, 200 Last Year Jumped to
SO, 400 This Year.

Carey lands in Bingham county,
under the American Falls canal sys-
tenn, with but meager Improvements,
are being assessed at $65 per acre.
Rev sagebrush lands are being as
eessed at $50 per acre. The far
mers Of the tract should present the
assessor with a choice bouquet for
making them so prosperous.
H. e. Grothe Last summer. pur-
chased tract of Carey land for s35
per acre. In his simple way of thin
ing, he believed that was its cash
value. Since the assessor has been
around Mr.. Grothe is firmly con-
Vinced that the man who sold the
land to him was more than half era
~, because the assessor readily dis
covered that the real value is s65
per acre. Mr.. Grothe is now sorry
that he did not buy more, because
he is going to offer it to the asses
sor at the value the latter fixed.
]. j. Van Bruggen is another
lucky one. He has eighty acres, of
which sixty is still in sagebrush,
and his Improvements are without
taxable value. The assessor has
Ga
per acre. The land and water right
cost him 5000, and of this it is
said he has paid $40. He is thus
asked to pay taxes ON an indebted
ness of $1,000, and an alleged ac-
crued value of $1,000.
Mrs. M. C. Curtis is assessed
$4,000 on forty acres, with very lit
tie improvements. If the assessor
wants to buy land at less than the
valuation he puts on it himself, he
should lose no time in seeing Mrs.
Curtis. This land has been on the
market for several months at
figure much less than the assessor
says it is worth: AS the assessor
evidently intends to be conservative
in his valuations, here is an excel
lent opportunity for him to make
a snug sum by an investment, the
details of which will be easily ar
ranged The title is perfect. the
owner is more than willing to sell.
and just to be good fellow" will
divide with the purchaser the diff
ference bewteen what has been
asked for the place and what the
assessor says is its real cash value.
And this amount would make very
neat present, too.
D w. Davis is another whose ship
of fortune sailed in during the night
He has 100 acres of not the best
Carey land four miles north of Abb
erdeen, all plowed, fenced and with
buildings not to exceed the value
of $500, which is this year assessed
at $1O,4OO. 1t was assessed last
year at 200. That is, the value is
suddenly discovered to be eight and
two thirds times as much as it was
last year. He might take little
less than $1O,400 "spot cash." for
the place, if some friend wanted
it, but he is duly thankful to learn
that it has become so valuable.
But the cloud to the silver lin
ing has not hove in sight yet. There
is little school code, urged with
fervor upon the legislature by the
governor in a special message. that
reads as follows: For the purpose
of establishing and maintaining pub
lie schools in the several counties
of the state, the board of county
commissioners of each county
SHALL, at the time of levying tax
levy tax of NOT LESS than five
mills nor more than ten mills on
each dollar of taxable property, in
their Respective counties. for school
purposes
If the commissioners obey the law
Mr.. Davis will have to pay but $50
county school taxes on this place,
which is only trifle of SAC more
than he paid last year. If there
Is a special levy for school purposes
IN that district, that will be in addi-
tion to the above. If the commits
sloners do not disregard the law, or
arbitrarily reduce the valuations as
!ixed by the assessor-and who can
imagine the governor will permit
them to do either in view of the
stand he has taken for compliance
with the law in the cash valuation
embroglio,-there will be a riot in
these parts about taxpaying time.
But the school districts will be all
right. When the Foulkses, the We
oeis, the Toevses, the Bartells, the
heges, the Funks, the Hurts (and
tnere will be more hurts than any
thing else,) the Alvords and the 9th
er Carnegies pay their taxes the real
bankers of that locality will be the
school trustees. The district Will
nave money to loan back to the peo-
PIE to improve their holdings so that
they will be able to pay the next
years taxes.