The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-04
Topeka Has a Distinct AdTan-
tage Over Oakland.
Two Dollars Less This Year
on $4,000 Valuation.
NOW ADD POLL TAX To THAT
Councilman Clayton Points Out
Facts and Figures.
Reasons Why Two Cities
Should Be Consolidated.

In an inclusive and full of fact argu
ment, H. V. Clayton, a councilman OF
Oakland, sets forth by figures TO-DAY
many substantial reasons why Oaklanc
should consolidate its government with
Topeka Councilman Clayton has
spent many days going over the taN
and valuation figures OF both cities
and he finds that the taxpayers Oh
Oakland can save hundreds OF dollars
by casting their lot with the capital
city.
The election will be held in Oakland
January 25. At this time the voters
will decide the proposition to be aD-
Sorbed by Topeka.
Councilman Clayton gives out the
following well written proof OF ms
arguments in favor of the consolida-
I'm discussing the question of the
advisability of Oakland remaining a
seperate and distinct city, the flrst
proposition that naturally comes up
for consideration is that OF whether or
not by so doing the taxes on OAKLAND
property will be less than they would
were Oakland to consolidate with 10
peka.
.Inasmuch as many OF the residents
of Oakland have just recently pa1o
either all or part of their 1917 taxes,
we will see how the tax levies OF the
two cities for that year compare oak
lands total levy. including state, coun-
ty, township and school district IeVles,
and excluding poll tax, was S1.1 per
valuation: and Topeka's total levy. in
Guiding state county, and school
Ievies, and excluding township anu
poll tax, both of which It's taxpayers
do not pay, was S1.67 per each one
hundred dollars assessed valuation.
Compare this with the statements
printed on the back of your tax re-
ceipt and see if it is not correct
Taxes One Dollar Higher in Oakland
Now, taking the foregoing as a
ut 70
that for 1912 a resident and taxpayer
in Oakland who owned property as
sessed at $1,000 paid $17-1O as taxes
on the same; and for the same year
the resident and taxpayer in Topeka
who owned property assessed at ex-
actIy the same amount paid $3.50 as
taxes on the same. In other words,
the Oakland property owner paid for
1912 on his 81 1000 worth of property
inst 81 more as taxes than he would
have done had Oakland been part
of Topeka.
Ira king the foregoing as a basis |
and placing the property valuation at /
$4,000, we find that the Oakland tax !
payer paid $3.50 for 1912, and the |
Topeka taxpayer paid S33,40 for 1912, |
or $500 less than the Oakland tax
payer paid.
'.Oh. yes, by the way. we have over |
looked something. We must not lose /
sight of the fact that in Oakland, by |
virtue of a state law, there is a poll |
(road) tax of $500 per head to which
every man between the ages of p and +
SO is annually subject. This means
that on an average at least one mem
Der of every family in Oakland is
subject to a poll tax of $500, so that
in figuring out the taxes of a resident
property owner of Oakland you must
necessarily include the poll tax in
your figures.
Now then. instead of tax of
s17.70 per $1,000 assessed valuation
for 1912 as we figured it out above,
the Oaklander really paid s20.7O in
taxes, or just $500 more than de
would have paid had he been a resident
of Topeka. Further, on an assessed
of $4,000 the Oaklander
really paid for 1912 a tax of S3S.40,
or just $500 more than the Topeka
taxpayer paid on the same valuation.
Now, there are in Oakland quite a
few men who pay no tax whatever
except the annual poll tax. How
must they naturally look at this prop
osition of consolidation with Topeka?
They certainly know that if they
were residents of Topeka that there
would not be a city marshal coming
around each and every year collect
ng a $500 poll (road) tax from them.
What have these men to gain by
Oakland remaining a separate city?
Now for further consideration, the
following table may be of consider
BILE interest to you. Read it over
and then after it has soaked
n for a few days get it out and re-
cad it. Figure out for yourself
where Oakland's and Topeka's tax
Zach respectively have increased
iuce 1908. ,
Table of Tax Levics.