Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-29

state over; and n this 10 true then the
aggregate Of taxes 20 be paid Will be
upwards Of 5000. 900. But this 10 only
an estimate.
But tho railroads do not pay the av-
erage tax rate. Last year they paid
about AZ mills. On the basis Of Is
mills they will pay on this years levies
about 33.600,000.
Some discussion has prevailed as to
the relative payment Of taxes on farm
lands and on railroad property No
body 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 Motnes,
for instance, the city levies aggregate
over SO mills. Farm lands in Four
Mile or Douglas do not pay any Of this
tax. So, also, school levies are general
iy very much higher IN the cities than
in the country. 1t has been asserted
that the average tax rate for farm
| lands is not over Is mills. Some say
it might be 80 mills.
Supposing farm lands actually pay
IS mills on the dollar in taxes, then
on the assessment of this year they
will pay s1s. 100000 in taxes On the
same basis-that OF a So mill levy-the
farm lands last year paid sl4, 500 900 in
taxes.
Now. how much more will one class
Of property pay this year than another
by reason of changed relation as to
assessments made by the assessors and
adjusted under the requirements OF law
by the various adjusting boards?
Il is readily seen that the increase
which the farm lands vii, pay on this
years assessment over last year is
about s5.100.0oo. In other words. by
reason OF higher assessments and high
er local levies. this will be the added
burden on farm land
It Will also be seen that tn, increase
in taxes that will be paid by the rail-
roads will be not less than $500 900.
But il the comparison is to be fair
then the latter figure should be multi
pied by seven, because the farm lands
are seven times as much as the rail-
road property IN value: which makes il
appear that the increase in railroad
taxes will be greater in proportion
than that on farm lands. The COM
paTison would be as between $500. 600
and s5.600,000: or as between $4,000
and sSoo, 900
One thing is certair-that any sort
of figuring. or estimating. OF pretended
comparison, which viii make It appear
that there has been increase this year
in the Proport;onate amount OF taxes
20 be paid on farm lands greater than
on railroad property, is without toun-
dalton in fact
Il has been figured out that 30 far
as the strictly state tax levy is con-
cerued the farm lands will pay this
year, proportionate TO their relative
value as compared with railroad prop
e-ty. Ave times as much Of an increase
over the state tax OF last year as will
be paid by the railroads. This Is as to
10 the estate tax levy for general pur-
poses, only. which applies equally to
all property except moneys and credits.
On farm lands there will be paid, on
the TAX levy for general state revenue,
about $2i2,ooo more than was paid last
year. This Is distributed over an ag-
Sregate actual valuation Of farm lands.
as found by the assessing officials and
boards OF the state, Of over two billion,
three hundred millions.
But the state tax .evy. is not over
one-seventeenth of the total tax levy
Of the state.
4 great deal Is promised about the
tax question the coming year IN Iowa.
Responsibility for aggregate taxes rests
with great many people in the state
the assessors, the local boards Of re-
view. the county boards, the state
board. the school boards. the city coun-
ellis. the township trustees, etc. But
actual figures as TO valuations and tax
leytes for many years are easily found
IN the printed state reports and there
ts no reason why any one having desire
10 know all the facts should not get