Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1913-12-10
TAXABLE VALUE OF
PROPERTY IN IOWA
Amounts to 91S,262, 963 EXclu.
sive of Monies and Credits.
INTERESTING COMPARISONS
UNDER THE NEW TAN SYSTEM.
Aggregate Payments on Tax Levies
This Year Will Be Near to
$45,OOO,OOO.

have been approaching the question
of assessment and taxation, with dis
cussion of the relative burden on diff
ferent classes of property as if there
was something mysterious about it.
All of the figures are easily obtain
able as to assessments and taxation.
The reports of various state officials
as printed give a vast amount of such
information. Tables are easily
found showing everything regarding
assessment, divided as to classes of
property, and covering many years;
also as to taxes levied and collected,
and taxes paid in different counties
and the disbursements. The state
reports of Iowa are voluminous and
complete. There has been some
loose talk about assessments and
taxation in Iowa for this year. Not
until the taxes are paid will it be
known how much has been paid. 1t
is probable, however, that the aggre-
gate Of payments on tax leyies in
Iowa this year will be near to $45,-
100000 on this years levies as
against over $36,0O0,000 on last
years taxation collections.
The total taxable value Of prop
erty in Iowa for 1913 is found to be
$91S,262, 693. This is exclusive OF
moneys and credits amounting to
$207, 233,S66. This latter item does
not take the full tax levy but a
special five mill levy.
The taxable value of farm lands
one-fourth of actual Value-was
found to be from the returns of as
SCISSORS $577,367.S50.
The taxable value of railroad prop
erty is $S0,106,721.
Comparisons have been made with
a view TO showing the relative am
cunt of taxes paid by railroads and
by the owners Of farm lands. 1t Is
impossible to know, for there is no
division as between farm lands and
other taxes, though it is possible to
know just how much taxes are paid
by the railroad companies.
1t will be observed that the rail
roads are assessed as if having
about one-thirteenth of all the prop
erty in the state.
Likewise the farm lands represent
about fiye-elevenths of the total
property or seven times as much as
the railroads.
obviously any comparison must
take into account the relative vol.
ume of property under considera-
ton. 1t would be unfair to say thai
one class of property pays so many
times more than another class with
out considering whether it is worth
that much more.
Here is table showing aggregate
of taxes levied in the years named
in all Iowa, on all property:
Taxes levied in 1908 $29,24S,00(
dASs leNleu III lJOJ 81, oI ,VVN
Taxes levied in 1910 f. 32,500,00(
Taxes levied in 1911 36,197, 00(
Taxes levied in 1912 36,656,00
Here also is table showing wha
was actually paid in taxes by the
railroad companies, in Iowa, for the
years named:
Taxes paid by railroads, '09 $2,412
Taxes paid by RVS, '09 $2,412,00(
Taxes paid by Rys., 10 5,0O(
Taxes paid by Rys., IL 1927 0(
Taxes paid by RVS, ~ 2,721, 900
Taxes paid by Rvs, '13 2,S52,00(
II has been assumed that the av
erage tax levy this year would b.
not far from so mills on the dollar
the state over; and If this is true
then the aggregate of taxes to be
paid will be upwards of $4,000, 900
But this is only an estimate.
But the railroads do not pay the
average tax rate. Last year they
paid about 43 mills. On the basis
of IS mills they will pay on this
years levies about $3,600,0O0.
Some discussion has prevailed as
to the relative payment of taxes Oh
farm lands and on railroad property
Nobody knows just how much are
the levies against farm lands. Farm
lands do not pay any OF the heavy
city tax levies, which go far toward
raising the aggregate of all taxes
In Des Moines, for instance, the city
levies aggregate over 80 mills. Farm
lands do not pay any of this tax. So
also, school levies are generally very