Gunnison news-champion., 1914-02-13
Wn0 n0RlIslEss?
IS QUESTION
Mae Psepcsty ..d M,aias
To~ss lave Docresscd In
Taxes-R. r. and Phone
Cos. Pay County Less.

III the county realizes only 81. ia@
more from the taxes this year than was
received last year. who IS paying less
this year." This Is the question winch
Is being asked by the people N and
around Gunnison where there has been
an almost universal increase in the
taxes.
This comment follows the publication
Of an article last week IN the News
Champion which attempted to explain
taxing system.
In answer to the question which Is
being asked. thu county records viii
show that certain property is paying
less taxes this year
The mining property and property in
q number Of mining towns is paying less
this year. Also the railroads. telephone
and telegraph companies are paying less
taxes to the county than before, al
though the total tax paid by these com
psnies has been greatly increased. The
state receives the increase. The valua-
tion ON these companies and apportion-
ment on the taxes is made by the state
tax commission and it has been found
that the county has been allotted a
smaller proportion than before. Some
school districts receive more.
The Denver 4 Rio Grsnde railway
pays the county $135l92 less but the
total tax on this company is more than
it wss last year, the difference going to
the state.
The bsoks Of County Trssssrer, An
ME n Downey show that the Crystal
River 4 San Juan railway pays sso.s7
less TO the county than last year, and
the Treasure Mountain railway also
pays less. These two railways pay less
total taxes, due to the fact that the
property is so run down that the vslus-
tion cannot be increased in the same
proportion as the valuation on certain
other property.
The matter of making valuation on
the railroad, telephone and telegraph
companies and proportioning the amount
the county and state shall receive is
left absolutely with the tax commission
The metalliferious mining property
in many of the mining towns are paying
less. The increase in the valuation Of
mining property is slightly more than
three times while the increased valuation
on agricultural land, is more than four
times Applying the same levy to min
ing and agricultural property, it produ-
ces a decrease in the taxes of the for
mer and an increase in the taxes of the
latter. For years property in many Of
the mining towns has been taxed for
nearly full valuation, due To the fact
that the valuation was made in more
prosperous times in these towns. 1t
can be seen that when an increase in
valuation was made this year it was i'm
possible to increase the valuation on the
property, which in many cases was
probably worth little or nothing, in
the same proportion as the valuation
on agricultural lands and property in
Gunnison was increased. The same is
true of much of the mining property.
Everyone knows that there is large
amount Of mining property which has
decreased greatly in value during the
last few years. There l. consequently
a shifting Of taxes due to this new val
uation. The ranch property which has
increased in valuation must pay more.
and the mining property which has de
creased in value must pay less.
: As has been said this valuation is just
and equitable. The reclassification
which was made on agricultural lands
was also just. The county is receiving
only $500 more this year than before
and the decrease is fully accounted for
and there certainly can be no great in
justice from this change. WEIGH we have
termed a very progressive and inst one
for this county. If certain property
has been valued for more than its sell
ling value, then the tax payer has a
right to demand an adjustment and. in
that case, he will undoubtedly be given
lower figures on his taxes.