The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-01-18
ECONOMY COMMISSION WORK
Member Tells of Effort Being
Made For Better Taxation and
Rates in Nevada

Oue Oh tue uemU UeTs Oh tuo new ECOu-
omy Commission stated to a represen-
tative of the Carson Appeal the-other
day that when the Legislature met he
believed that some interesting aud
valuable suggestions would be forth
coming. In this respect he said:
There il whole lot Of rot in the
talk Of looping off valuable State COM
missions. There will be some small
retrenchment made in this line. but that
is a secondary consideration. Could all
the commissions be done away with il
would only be a partial relief The
main trouble in this State is the unequal
tax collections and valuations.
"Take the land question for instance.
The man with the small holding aud q
few head OF cattle is located without
difficulty. He has been paying his share
for a generation while his big neighbor
has religiously side-stepped the proper
assessment. This made the inequalities
and also made a low treasury.
"The railroads and the big corpora
tions at the present time are paying
nearer a just share than any set of
taxpayers IN the State. They furnish
practically one-third of the money re-
ceived in the treasures. 1t is hardly
possible that the State Board of Asses.
sors will deem it advisable to raise their
taxation any higher, as there is limit
TO the endurance and burden.
"The corporations have placed men
in the field and have gathered some
pretty vital statistics. They can show
where many u big land holder is avoid
ing his tax. Where he is assessed at a
few dollars an acre, while the selling
price runs into the hundreds of dollars.
This does not apply to the nearby sec.
tions alone, but throughout the State in
general. 1t is this inequality in taxation
that has forced the citizen to take up the
question aud endeavor to offer some
solution to the problem.
"The members of the Economy Com.
mission are not endeavorfng in any
way to dictate to the members of the
Legislature. They have simply gathered
lot Of data that should be of unusual
value to the members. When this is
completed it will be handed to the leg.
islative body with the hope that they
can solve some of the problems that are
sticking Nevada. No zone " no goes over
any tax list in the State denies the in
equality OF taxation. 1t is known fact
that as much property escapes as is on
the rolls. 1t is further known that vast
estates are put on the roll far under
their value. A full cash value is not
to be the demand, but a value that
makes the burden more equal.
81 do not. know as yet just what
the recommendations Of the committee
Will be, but it is believed that il will
present the figures and suggest the ere.
alton of a commission who will be em-
powered to investigate and make valua.
tions in connection with the local
Assessors
Where this plan has been used in
other States the values have multiplied
many fold. 1t has pulled several of the
States out of bad holes and put plenty
OF cash in the treasury with a lower
rate in the State aud county. This is
the plan under consideration by the
oltizens who have left their work to
take up public matter There is no
salary or compensation in their case.
1t is not for the love of the dear people,
bat for an equal taxation and better con
dition in each community that the men
are giving their time and energy. 1t
looks like the first step taken In the
right direction in regard to impartial
and equal taxation for the property
holders of this State"