Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-07-27
STATE LEW UNCHANGED BUT
REVENUE INCREASED ~
HIGHER VALUATIONS.
SOME ADVANCE IN VALUE
OF PERSONAL PROPERTY
Levy Of 1918 Did Not Give State suffie-
lent Revenue But Increased Valuation
This Year Makes Increase in Levy
Unnecessary Legislature Directs
Levy, sasins Tax on Needs.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines, July 27-The state tax
levy will be the same for 1914 as tor
1913, which was 20 mills on the dollar.
When state officials first came close
to final calculation it seemed possible
to make a reduction. That would have
been true, If the levy of last year hao
been enough to raise the revenue which
the legislature ordered raised. But the
80 mills last year did not raise enough
by about 100000. Or rather. while
raising all that was needed 1t did not
raise as much as the legislature had
estimated would be needed.
SO this year, with slight increase
in valuation, due to increase IN per-
sonal property valuations. and to add
ing new buildings to the real estate
values, the 80 mills will raise very
close to what was ordered by the leg
islature to be raised.
Lesisiatu Directs levy.
In this matter of fixing the tax levy
the state officials have practically no
discretion. When the legislature ad
journs it directs by joint resolution
that the council shall fix a levy Which
will raise approximately certain sum
of money each year. A clerk figures 1t
out and that is the levy for state gen.
eral revenue. 1t is not an executive
act but mere clerical act.
One reason for the fixing of tax
levy last year that fell little short or
the commands of the legislature was an
error Of computation as to the total
taxable value in the state. After the
levy was fixed 1t was found that the
aggregate of taxable value of all prop
erty in the state on which the state
levy applies. was 1918, 762.363. TINS
was the correct figure instead of a
somewhat higher one which was much
advertised as the total of taxable val
hes.
Now there has been returned to the
state valuation OF personal property
and increase in real estate by ADDING
new buildings to increase last year, as
adjusted. by s6,35s,o00.
Railroad. express, telegraph, tele-
phone and car line assessments will
be about the same as last year.
Some Slight Increases.
But there will be some slight in
crease in personal property assess
mentS DIV reason Oh TIE HeCeSSdIS cQutaA-
ization of values between the counties.
The council finds again that colts vary
from $40 to $50 in value in the state.
That must be made one and the Same
thing everywhere. And so with other
classes Of personal property. This will
make some increase in the aggregate
of taxable values.
AS indicated previously, there will
be no equalization as to land values
this year But where it is found that.
as in some counties. the equalization Of
last year was either ignored or improp-
erly. applied there will be some steps
taken to see that the laws Of the state
are complied with.
The total of taxable values reported
: this year makes real estate. including
new buildings, aggregate s729S51.545.
! and personal property s1o7 .Ss4.4s6.
Last year, after equalization, the real
~ was s72s.s3OO1S and personally.
ss101 .s4S,O15. The moneys and credits,
which does not appear in any OF above
computations, was this year returned at
$2ao.24s,17s.
The discovery that in some counties
the local authorities last year raised
valuations too much and in others not
at all came as surprise. but these
errors will be corrected this year.