Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-03-18
TAX LEVY IN 1914
WILL Be HEAVIER
The State Tax Commission Says State
Levy Will BE Nearly Three and
Half Times Larger.

The tax levy in Oregon in 1914 will
be three and two-fifths times as much
as this year according to the figuring
of Governor West. In other words,
instead of one mill levy this year the
levy will be almost four mills.
At the beginning of the last session
of the legislature there were standing
appropriations of $1,2O0,OOO, The last
session made appropriations of $5,45O,-
900, thus increasing the amount that
must be raised by taxation in the next
two years to $6,65O,OO0.
An estimate by the state tax COM
mission of the amount necessary for
expenditures during 1913 will be ST.
100000. To aid in taking care of this
amount there is a sum of $500, 900 from
the University of Oregon appropriation
and other sources, and a sum Of $780,
900 will be derived from license fees
and miscellaneous sources. These
two amounts added together, and the
sum deducted from the estimate of
S2,24O,OOOO leave $1,12OOOO to be raised
by taxation for 1918.
But since the legislature has in
creased the appropriations to &c.
100000, and since that part of this
amount, which is not taken care of this
year, must be raised next year, there
will be $6,650O00 less $2,240,000 or
$4,410,000 to be provided for expenses
in 1914. The only source for raising
this amount, aside from license fees
and similar sources, which will
amount to about the same as this year,
100000, is by direct taxation. De-
Quoting 100000 from $4,41O,O0O leaves
$3S1OOOO to be provided for in 1914
by direct taxation.
The state tax levy of 1914 will be
the last levy wherein the state levy
for an even year will be much larger
than the levy preceding it. Tax lev
les are made to cover expenditures
provided for by law and heretofore
the state tax commission, in making
the annual levy for legislative year.
has been restricted to an estimate of
100000 over and above expenses pro-
vided for by law, in order to antici-
pate the appropriations of the legis-
lature. Naturally the appropriations
Of the legislature have been much in
excess of the funds produced by the
tax levy plus the $2O0OOO for which
provision is made
House bill Ais, passed at the recent
session, provides that in making the
tax levy on the assessment Of an even
year the state tax commission may
levy for public buildings and i'm
provements to public buildings such
an amount in addition TO the amounts
prescribed by law, as the governor, the
secretary of state and the state treas
urer shall believe II necessary to make
during the fiscal year for which such
apportionment Of state revenues is
computed. Also when such apportion-
ment Is made on the assessment Of an
even year the tax commission may
levy for such additional amount or
amounts as the state board win be-
lieve it necessary to include to meet
the expenses Of the state for the en-
suing year.
Heretofore II has been impossible
for the state tax commission to en-.
ticipate in its levy the appropriations
Of the legislature, and consequently
the tax levies of odd years have been
low, and for even years high Since
the law recently enacted will give the
state board the right TO anticipate leg.
islative appropriations in excess Of
the tax levies, the tax commission will
be able to make the tax levies for all
years more nearly uniform, and thus
avoid the serious Inconvenience
caused by high levies one year and
low levies the next.
-
/ Reed Is Sull Going.