The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-08
REAL ESTATE
TAXES ARE LESS
But Railroads Are Now Ap-
praised at Real
Value.
Their Appraisement Grows
From 116 Millions to
$50 Millions.

Columbus, Ohio, January S.
The farmers are paying their taxes
now, and those who have not closely
followed the revision Of the tax laws
under the guidance Of Gov. Judson
Harmon are unable to understand
what brought about the reduction in
their taxes.
The year 1911 will be a memorable
one for farmers, for i'm that year,
for the first time within the memory
Of the present generation. there was
n reduction in taxes. Before. the
levies increased annually. As ex-
penses Of the government mounted
higher and higher the taxes on the
class of property that cannot be hid
den-,farms and other classes OF real
estato--increased at corresponding
rate.
But with the revision Of tax laws
there came an appraisement Of prop
erty nearer the rule OF the consttu-
tion, which requires that all property
be appraised at It's true value in mon
ey and closer search for the prop
erty that had heretofore been escap-
ing the duplicates.
The result has been a reduction Of
from 25 70 so per cent on farming
land throughout the state. It Is estl-
mated that real estate owners will
in 1911 pay $7,OOO,O00 less taxes than
/ they did in 1910
The records OF the state tax COM
mission for 1911 disclosed how in
adequate certain classes of property
were appraised. In 1910 the rail-
roads were valued at $11G.469,599,
while in 1911 they were appraised at
| $3.50. 900, 900. In other words, in 1910.
! $419,530,401 of railroad property
| escaped taxation. In 1911 the aggre-
gate appraisements Of public service
| corporation properties exceeded that
! Of 1910. $1,O00,OO0. 600. In other words
! in 1910. $1,000. .OOO,OOO Of public SER
! vice corporation properties escaped
/ taxation. Another index to the un-
fairness of the old appraisements is
/ the 1911 valuation of the Pennsylvan-
Ia railway system which Is $4,000, 600
in excess of the total appraiscment for
taxation of all Ohio railroads in 1910.
| Other increases to the tax duplicate
! and each increase represents an evas-
, ion or taXes-are: electric light COM
panies $21,26G,433; the traction linel
were raised from $t5,O0O.00O to $685.
600. 900; the property of pipe line com
panies was Increased S24,6f9.500, the
buckeye Pipe Line CO.. (Standard
OuD was raised from $4.G35.OOO Ia
S2S.2S1.SOG; the capital stock OF
banks which Is subject to taxation
was increased $94.4G1,952 and &c.
3g1. .037 was added to the property OF
wator works union depot, artificial
gas and heating and cooling conn
panles.
Regarding the 1911 taxes on farms
the Ohio state Journal, Republican
savs CAS- figured by the state taS
commission on the basis Of completet
returns from every taxing district I'm
the state, the average rate OF taxation
on Ohio farming lands this year Is
mills. Taxes are now being paid In
the state on this basis.
"The average rate is less than one.
half what II was in former years and
, II Is estimated that Ohio farmers are
paying from one-fourth to one-hali
less taxes than they have paid In ,he
past.
"The total value of farming lands
in Ohio is $t.67S.59O.o64 as reported
|, to the commission. The farm average
is 25.239,547. The commission has
found that the average valuation OF
on acre Of ground, including farm
, buildings, but excluding mineral
lands and unincorporated villages Il
S63,79. Last year the average valua'
tion including unincorporated village;
and mineral lands was $25.95."
| During his 80 wears of Office ms bail
ifr's clerk at Shoredtch, England
George Clark, who died recentlv had
some 100000 summonses pass through
his hands.