The Ordway new era., 1913-05-16
Fuller Valuation Of
Property Will Not
lncreaseTax Total
Colorado State 7 ak Commission
Asserts New Law Works
NoHardship Whatever

Inasmuch as people are considerab-
ly at sea regarding the provisions of
the so called "full cash value" tax
levy the following signed statement,
issued by the Colorado state tax COM
mission will doubtless serve TO en-
tighten them and clear away doubts
as to the real meaning and intent OF
the law. 1t would be we'll for all
taxpayers to read this statement care
fully before making out their tax
schedules, II they have not already
done so The statement is as follows:
Inasmuch as the provisions Of
House Bill No. 34s, limiting tax levies,
which was passed by the Nineteeth
General Assembly. have been greatly
misrepresented lin certain quartersl,
the tax commission desires to make
the following statement:
This law, limiting tax levies, was
prepared by committee OF the
county assessors and tax commission
about the assessment of property at
Its full cash value and to protect the
taxpayer by placing limit on the
amount OF tax that he may be called
on to pay. To secure this, for l9l3a
general limit Of fifteen per cent In
crease over the taxes levied In 1912
has been placed on tax levying bodies,
with specific limits on the levy for
county current expense, including the
contingent and poor funds. A table
has been prepared fixing the maxi
mum levies for these purposes accord
Ing to valuation. The maximum
ilevies so provided In the bill have
been determined from study Of the
levies now made for the above pur-
poses by each county and, when
values are raised to full cash accord
ing to law, these levies will yield an
abundance OF money for the purpose
OF county government.
The act also provides that the
statutory rates OF levy for the state
educational Institutions and other
state purposes shall be so reduced
that for the year 1913 the amount OF
tax that may be levied thereby shall
not exceed the amount levied in 1912,
plus fifteen per cent. For each year
after 1918 the levy is limited so as not
to permit more than five per cent
increase over the preceding year. The
same limit is also placed on all tax.
levying bodies 10 the state. from the
general assembly to a school district.
Therefore, by these provisions,
neither the state tax, nor the city,
county town or school tax can in
crease more than fifteen per cent in
1913, nor more than five per cent for
each year thereafter The taxpayer
is accordingly protected.
The act also provides that any tax
ing district, except the state, may be
granted fve.mill increase in the
levy by the tax commission when it
is shown that all property therein Is
assessed at full cash value and that
this assessment does not amount to a
valuation large enough to permit Il
levy adequate for the proper support
OF the local government. This pro-
vision is inserted to prevent possible
The law does not apply to
money needed to pay bonded in.
debtedness, warrants already issued
and outstanding, or interest or
special assessments for local improve
ments.
Under full cash value assessment
the state levy will be reduced from
1-l8 to not to exceed Il mills, which,
in the matter Of state tax, will place
Colorado among the very lowest In
the nation. There will be slight in
iucement for counties to cut and
slash our state tax, and. as matter
If law, as well as good business sense,
every county should see that all the
taxable wealth OF the county is placed
IN the rolls at full value and the
evies made as low as possible. Full
cash values and low Ievies are funda-
right in principle, as well az
required by law. Any person OF in
telligence at once recognizes the
of full value and one per
cent taxes over one-third value and
three per cent taxes.
Heretofore assessors, county com
the tax commission and
the state board OF equalization have
all grossly violated the law and their
paths Of Office In assessing at less than