The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1913-09-09

county auditor the report OF the
slate board of equalization 30 far as
It affects this county together tb
the states tax levy Of this year
There was consideration amoug the
county officials OF the county when
they reallze the effect that IL would
have on this years taxes to be raised
The most important thing disclosed
WAS that the county would lose from
twenty TO twenty five thousand dol
lars in taxes from the Washington
Water Power company as compared
With the amount collected from them
last year and the amuunt lost may
even exceed the latter sum.
In the nrst place the state board
cut the assessment Of the company
from sl.93l, ,Oll.OO as made by the
assessor to $1,000. .345 90. a reduc-
tlun of neary 40 per cent. This WAS
done In the face Of a decision made
by Judge Dietrich Of the United
States district court that an assess.
ment of approximately 81, 500, 600
was face valuation.
How the state board reached their
decision is a puzzle to the county
officials aud they can oPhy account
for It on the suppos pu that the
visit of John Gray, oompauy's
attorney to Boise, pf the
meeting Of the bT bduc-
tive OF good results pany,
that he WAS able them
especially as the co not re-
presented ~
But this is not all, A law was
passed lat winter by which the assess
ment OF power companies shall be
allotted to counties, proportion to
mileage of transmission lines. A.
bout 60 per cent of the W. W. P.
company's transmission lines ls 10
Gated IN shoshone county, while
practically all Of the heavy values,
represented by water power sites and
improvements. tracks aud rolling
stock are Ia Kcotenai county; yet
the prepondersnoe of transmission In
Shoshone county under the law
throws large amount of taxes into
it's Golfers from property assessed IN
Kootenai county. It is estimated
that KOotenai county will lose about
500, 600 of taxes this year by the
operation Of this law IN this respect.
It is claimed, as It has been before,
that the Shoshone county delegation
In the last Legislature "put one
over" the Kootenai delegation when
this provision wRs Incorporated in
the bill aud rushed through.
just the amount that the operation
of these two causes will decrease the
Was hinRton Water Power oompany's e
taxes 10 the county cannot be known
until the tax roll Is completed but
that it will exceed twenty five thous-
aud dollars Is almost positive
The general levy Of the state has
been increased from s720. 2s3 to
s9OO O0O This includes the levy
of KootenaI county from $50, ,647
last year to 500. 4ss this year. nearly
sl3, 600 as a result Of not having a
governor like uaWley to apply the
knife to extravagant appropriations Of
a republican legislature.
Although the general levy Of the
county was increased, the valuation
was lowered, It being S27, ,336. 5s3
this year aud 500, ,a72. 936 last year
Railroad valuations IN the county
this year Is s7,647, 800 against
IS. .2759. 90 last year.
But the assessment is not the only
things that the taxpayers OF this
county have TO thank tue last legls-
lature for. A bill was passed put.
ting Kootenai county into a class of
its own and increasing the salary OF
the county commissioners from Ss0C
per year to $500 per year, making
$4,000 dollars more for the Taxpayers
to pay.
The number of deputies In the
county offices have also been inoreas
ed aud salaries raised. Just how
much this will amount to for th'
year Is not known but It is safe tG
sag that the county tax will be 10 th'
ueighborhood of $40, 600 higher thll
year than last not mentioning thi
increased levy for county school pur
poses.
A $4,000 loss from the Washington
Water Power Company, a sl3, ,00l
raise In the taxes and a sl0,00l
raise in the county taxes makes
t4S. 90 additional tax which th
people will have to pay this year a
result Of the change 10 .admlnistra
tion.