The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-16
State Tax Commission Says
Smith Law is Very
Successful.
ONE THIRD FORMER RATE
Two thirds of Districts Are
Below 10 Mills, Many at
5, 6, z.
Lowest Rate in Mentor Dis
trict, Lake County, With
2.92 Mills.

Columbus, Jan. 1G.-Dehnite report
that the Smith 1 per cent tax law and
other taxation measures enacted by
the general assembly at the session
last year have proved successful in
reducing the average tax rate of the
state below 10 mills is made by the
state tax commission, based on prac-
tically complete returns from all of
the 1888 taxing districts of Ohio.
In advance Of the receipt of the
county auditors abstract by state
Auditor e. NJ Fullington. the COM
mission has secured sufficient inform
alton to enable It to make a close
estimate of the average tax rate pre-
vailing in the state. The commission
places the average at 81 mills on
the dollar This is about one-third of
the rate that has hitherto prevailed.
Two-Thirds Under 10 Mills.
The commission has found that
nearly two-thrds of the taxing dis
tricts of the state-3O14 to be exact
have rates below 10 mills. The re-
mainder-.1510-have rates between 10
and 10 mills. The latter Is the limit
allowed by the Smith act.
TO say that substantially two
thirds OF the taxing districts have
rates under the 10-inll mark does not
tell all the story. a substantial part
Of the districts under I per cent have
levles that are below - mills. The
| detailed figures Of the commission,
which will he made part Of its am
nual report, show 6l districts with
rates below ~ mills. 1914 with rates
between . and G. 5A7 with rates be-
tween ana Z. 700 with rates .bctweor
Z aud s, 600 with rates between 8 and
| 0. $50 with rates between and 10
Three hundred districts have an oven
1 per cent rate. s pftI
.1l, Higher Rates Classified. r.po44
/ OF the districts whose rates exceed
! tho 10-mill mark. noarly on0Fhalf are
below II mills. The detailed figures
are: G73 between 10 and H., JOG botweer
II and ~, 1S4 between ~ and 13, 1G,
| between 13 and H. 1SS Letwcen l.
and Is.
| Mentor district, Lake County, car.
ries off the prize, with the lowest ta2
rate In the state. 1t Is 2.92 mills OF
the dollar valuation. This, it was ex.
planned. is due to the fact that sew
cral steamship companies have theii
vessels listed as from Mentor ANA pay
taxes there, although thcr actua
headquarters are in Cleveland The
companies shrowdly avoid the higher
| tax OF Cleveland.
Marion township, Franklin county
has the next lowest tax rate, S3 mills
Marion school district Is only three
tenths Of a mill higher and BexleS
corporation is among the lowest will
4G. Columbiana county has one rate
CT SO.
Average Rate About 8.
| In computing the average rate the
commission took no thought of the
average Of rates Of the state-a very
thirds OF the state has rates of 10 on
under. the average of rates probably
i. would be somewhere near eight.
| As rate sheets were received by the
commission they were examined care
fully and where rates exceeded the
Is mills limit, for all purposes. IN
Guiding sinking fund and interest, the
budget commissions were ordered 70
be reconvened by the county adult
tors and the rates brought within the
local limit Heavy bonded indebted
ness in cities brought the rate above
per cent In many instances but the
heaviest rates are in the smaller mu-
inequalities that have peen going a
fast clip and providing for themscl-
yes the superior accommodations OF
the big cities. This has swelled their
levies for sinking fund and interest
charges, and having only limited
duplicate on which to draw the rate
has had to be almost up to the limit
Must Practice Economy.
| Economy in the administration of
such municipalities will make ends
meet in most cases and few special
elections will be necessary.
The commission Is completing It's
annual report. which viii have great
statistical value. II is understood al
so that a number of recommendation
! viii be made in the light of the ex-
lptriences of the commission during
1911.
one Of the features of the forth.
coming report will be the assembling
To- public utility values by counties
which will show all the values cert.
fed to each county by the commission
from its assessment of public servic,
concerns, a comparison with former
valuations of utilities also win pres
ent some interesting phases.
500 Per Plate
was paid at a banquet to Henr!
Clay in New Orleans In 1912. Might,