Gilpin observer., 1914-02-26
THE NEW TAX Law

haQ taken time TO examine Lne lax
roll of the county and ascertained
just what the valuations are and the
tax levy for 1918, he would not have
given space to tie nonsensical COM
ment on tax increases appearing in
the issue of the paper last week. The
article, of course, was written for
political effect and when news
paper will deceive its readers and
mislead them, attempting to gain
some political advantage, the reac-
ton is more detrimental than the de-
ception is beneficial.
Whenever a subject commands the
attention of the public as has the
present tax affair, the Observer, in
stead of jumping at conclusions and
commenting wildly Upon a matter 1t
knows nothing about. stops to make
an Investigation and endeavors to
intelligently enlighten the people.
This is what has been done in re-
gard to the system of taxation un-
der the new law.
Observer man in making an investi-
cation Of the tax roll to learn II
what the Register had said about the
big increase in taxes was true, and
II so, the reason. We learned, as
we had expected, that the Register,
adhering to its customary practice,
had gone off half-cocked.
Frankly speaking. the taxes on
realty property have increased. on
about one house in four. On IS per
cent of the houses in the county, the
taxes have been reduced. Where no
increase in valuation was made over
1912, (aside from the horizontal raise
demanded by the State Tax Commits
sion, which effects everything tax
able) the taxes are less as the levy
was decreased by the board Of coun-
ty commissioners. In Central City.
District No. 1, the levy for all pur-
poses for 1912 was fraction over SO
mills. For 1918 the levy is fraction
over % mills. The county levy was
cut in half, making it 18 mills and
one mill was added to create fund
to redeem unpaid warrants; also
three mills for the road FUND, bring
ing the total levy to practically 22
mills. The three mills for road pur-
poses has never been paid before In
District No. as should have been
paid under the law. The expense
for road building heretofore has been
borne by the outside districts, which
was unfair.
The county books show that the
valuation on mining claims was doub-
led, plus the horizontal raise of IS
per cent by the state tax commiss-
ion.
Property under the new law, and
for that matter should always have
been, assessed at the. full cash val
ue. These valuations were raised
for 1913. but unless the property had
cash value in 1912. it is doubtful If
the tax, with the increased valuation
is any more for 1913, If as much,
considering the decrease in the levy.
In looking oyer the tax roll we
found that in the majority of cases
where the taxes had been increased.
it was on property upon which no
return had ever been made in for
deposits, etc. The most astonishing
example of tax lodging that came to
the attention of the writer In max
ing the examination was in the case
the Register referred to last week
as having to pay an increase in tax.
es OF from one to three hundred per
cent? who In 1912 paid on a valua.
tion OF less than 1000; and in 1913
makes a return on little more than
$4,000. Had this taxpayer been pay
ing his share Of the taxes?
Now. what do we find in regard to
Mr.. Laird's taxes. In 1912, Mr..
Laird paid on valuation of $2,296.
and in 1913 he returned $4.793, list
ing a lot Of property he had never
put on his schedule before, includ-
ing $5oO.oO in bank deposits, sum
in itself that one can hardly con-
ceive OF a newspaper man coming by
honestly. Needless to say no such
fabulous sum was returned by Mr..
Laird's esteemed contemporary On
the 1912 valuation Mr.. Laird's taxes
were 1864. On the same valuation
this year under the reduced levy he
would only be paying $50.63. So 1t
will be seen that the blame does
not attach to the new system OF
assessing. but to the property own
er who in former years has lodged
hiR faXes hy NOT making q nrOner