The Topeka state journal., 1913-05-29
Estimated That Rate Will Be
S1.50 Next Year.
Reduction of IL Cents on the
Valuation for 1912.
new REVENUE is IN SIGHT
County Fees and Motor Regis
tratiOn an Aid.
Both City and County Leyies
May Be Sliced.

Those who are in touch with tire 10
cal tax situation believe there is good
reason to estimate that the tax rate
this year may be reduced to Sl.50 on
the valuation of $780,. the rate of three
years ago. Such a rate will be de-
crease from $1.67. the rate of last year
There are number of things that
many enter into the decrease including
a jump of nearly 100000 in the. total
valuation in the county, the u;ost of
which also is in the city o. Topeka;
the payment of fees to the county, and
the payment of automobile and motor
cyble registration fees into the county
treasury for the maintenance OF pubic
reads.
If the increase in valuati IN reaches
81. .000, 900 after the work of equalization
has been completed, that alone viii
raise $4,000 at the rate of $1.50 per
500. Fees to go to the county that
heretofore have been retained by var
fous county officers may reach SlO,o0O
The tax paid by autoists and motor
cyclists is expected to go over $4,000, Il
total of nearly $50 900. 1t is being urged
that such a showing ought 70 reduce
the taxes for this year, and = is be-
lieved undoubtedly will do so, perhaps
to the rate mentioned.
Last year the levies were as follows
per 800 valuation:
State IL
county .--..-.---'-'- '''''''--
School Observation-Disclosures. -oi
City --......-.--..-...-- ~
Total 81 ca
The state tax, it is believed, is like
" to remain the same as last year.
Several items in the county tax are
likely to be cut. The levy for general
revenue will have to be cut in view OF
the increased valuation. 1t was 1-2S
mills last year. If the total valuation
goes over SS0.0O0,000 this year the
levy will have to be cut to rs mills,
tod NV la
Cut in County and City.
A county levy of rs mills, which
raised S62,7O0 approximately for roads
and bridges was made last year. In
asmuch as there are no river bridges
to build this year, which cost lot OF
money, and as the auto registration
fees will go into the road maintenance
fund and in view of the increased
valuation, it is believed likely that a
cut can be made in that levy. In fact
it is hoped that the county levy may
not exceed mills this year, or ~
cents on the valuation of $1O0.
The city levy may be cut, and those
who are urging reduction of taxes
believe that it may be trimmed to the
tune of one mill, making 1t for the
present year mills instead of mills
as it was last year. However, the
school levy is likely to be increased if
anything to take care of a big floating
Indebtedness that the board faces
every year in warrants for which there
at the rate of per cent. So the
school levy may go as high as 6.5 mills.
But even then the 1913 levy would be
only ST mills, or S1.57 on the valua-
ton of 500, a decided improvement
upon last year.
The way the levies are being doped
right now would make the following
showing per 500 valuation:
State :. ........$ -12
County -.--.--.--.- ~
School .o0
S1ty -oO
1Otdl = , l. .
Much, of course, depends upon the
final showing made on the increase in
valuation, and upon figures that are
being compiled upon the amount that
will be realized from the payments of
fees into the county treasury by vari-
Gus county officers who heretofore
have been working upon a fee basis
The figures given herewith are purely
estimates based upon the facts at pres
ent at hand, and represent the hope
of many taxpayers as to the size of the
1913 levies. Unquestionably, it is said,
the tax levies will be reduced in at
least two. departments-the County
and city. The extent of the reduction