The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-11-08
Utilities Raised Nearly
One Million Dollars

Carson CITY, Nevada, November 3-The State Tax Commission
practically closed its work on the assessments in the State to-day
by radical increases bringing the total assessed valuations In the
State up to sl15.OOOyOOO from the former mark of s1o1'
O,OOO, an increase of sl4.OGc 600. This at the State tax rate OF
IS cents a hundred will provide additional revenue of 1924 and
the additional revenue provided the counties can be figured in dol
lars by multiplying 400 by the county rate.
This radical increase involves IN increase made Saturday on
public utilities to the extent of $685. 900 and an increase to-day on
improvements on mining properties. mills, buildings, etc. of APP
proximately 100000. The rest includes for the most part hori-
zonal raises on land. etc, by classes and counties.
The increases totalling 100000 on mine improvements were
sent out by telegraph to-day to the various County Auditors. Those
on public utilities were made by mail Saturday.
The public utilities raised in the State were as follows:
Truckee River General Electric Company from s3s1,639 to
s55S, $50.
Reno Power, Light & Water Co. from s252,630 to s436,0O0.
Bell Telephone Co. of Nevada from s61,100 to $4,000.
Pacific Power Co. from s55 200 to $4,000
Nevada California Power Co. from s170,3S2 to s355,OOO.
Tonopah Sewer d Drainage Co. from $4,000 to $4,000.
Tonopah Water Co. from $780, 900 to $4,000.
Goldfeld Consolidated Water Co from s101, 900 to s15O,OO0
Nevada Tele phone q Telegraph Co. from $42,S95 to $4,000
Carson Water Co. from SAT, 275 to $4,000.
Virginia & Gold Hill Water Co. from s156,S43 to s175,OO0.
These increases were made by specific order. Utilities in
White Pine, Elko, Humboldt and Douglas Counties were increased
by the general raise made in those counties. Increases on banks
in Washoe County over last years assessment added $4,000 and
the State increase, including Washoe. over last year, is $4,000.
"This increase of s14OOO,O00 in the total assessment valuations
in Nevada" said Commissioner Coburn, "means many things. 1t
"H
hundred. 1t will equalize assessments by making those paying on
values below the average, pay mp to the average. 1t does not hurt
the small owner who is practically untouched, and it Ii no injustice
to the large owner who merely is required to pay a reasonable and
average value. 1t results in equalzing the contribution to the
State from the different counties, but the most important fact is
that it opens the door to the County Commissioners to reduce the
county rate.
County rates based on aggregate values of $lOl 100000 when
applied to existing values of S115, 100000 must produce more money
than the counties need. A county tax rate based on last years
values and multiplied by this years rates, will produce on the aver
aae about IA per cent more taxes than the commissioners expected
when they levied the tax. In other words every time a man pays
500 in county taxes he pays s14 more than he ought to pay to the
county.
This added money to the counties will be a surplus paid to
the counties by the taxpayers. The Commissioners should see the
way clear to reduce the county tax rate SO that taxes will go down
every time assessments go up. They can do this next March but [
think there should be some way of rebating the rate for this year
in the counties when it is found more money will be produced than
expected.
The thing for the people to remember is that unreasonably
low assessments mean unreasonably high taxes, and reasonably high
assessments mean reasonably low taxes. The counties have the
opportunity now to cut the county tax rate, and if they do not, the
burden of the people will not be high assessments but extravaganza
in spending county taxes"