Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-24
MAKE RAILROADS
PAY LOCAL TAXES
Assessor Confers with Douglas Dele
CATION Over Measure that Will
Increase County Revenues.
MEANS 100000 DURING YEAR

County Assessor Harry Counsman has
proposed to a delegation of members OF
the legislature that an attempt be made 90
collect more than $1,000 annual county,
school and state taxes on railroad prop
erty in Omaha. County Attorney Mag
ney has been furnished data secured as
result Of an Investigation made by
Mr. Counsman and Deputy Assessor
Frank Mahoney. and will write a bill to
be introduced in the legislature. which,
81 passed. is expected to add between
10000 and $4,000 annually 20 the reve-
nues OF Nebraska counties, school boards
aud the state.
The county assessors investigation
promises 10 be the most important de-
velopment in railroad taxation In Ne
braska since the late Edward Rosowater
made his winning fight 10 secure ter
minal taxation law.
Too Mach I'm RlRht~Of-Way.
That by the simple expedient Of list
ing large and valuable properties In
Omaha alone as parts OF their rights-of-
way. the five principal railroads ere
have been annually evading SS7,Oe9 county
taxes, t49, ~ school taxes and SIS. 40 state
taxes Is one OF the discoveries made as
q result OF the county assessors investi-
CATION. Properties outside rights-of-way
are subject 10 the assessors valuations.
The basis for these figures Is COM
parison, according TO the 1914 levies, OF
the valuations of the railroads Omaha
properties inside their right-of-way
based on the state valuations, which
according to the present law must be
used In computing taxes for the three
funds above named. and the valuations
placed on the same properties by the
county assessor for terminal taxation
purposes.
some Discrepancies.
The greatest discrepancies exist In the
case OF the Union Pacific. which. accord
Ing TO Mr.. Counsman. Is paying city taxes
on Omaha property on q valuation OF
SS724,tS0 made by the local authorities
and county. school and state taxes on a
valuation of only SS95,OO0 returned by the
state authorities. and In the case Of the
Burlington, whose corresponding Valua-
tions are 81, 792, s25 and t4O5, 200.
The point U.s." said Mr. Counsman,
"that under the present law the railroads
are allowed TO list whatever properties
they desire as a part OF their rights-of-
way. We are compelled to accept the
state valuations for ali properties In
side right-of-way,' so far as county,
school and state purposes are concerned.
We are able to collect only city taxes
on what appears to us who are
right here In Omaha, to be the actual
valuations"
Table of Valuations.
The following table prepared by Mr.
Counsman. based on the 1914 levy, shows
the differences In valuations. which re-
suit, according to him, In the evasion
by the railroads OF more than 100000
taxes annually and shows the amount
lost each year by Douglas county. the
Omaha school board and the state:
state Assessors g.
Railroad. Valuation. Valuation,
Missouri Pacific ......... 1880 l.osi .s0C
Northwestern ........'.. ll'yoV lls,oSV
c.. st. T., n. g. o........ lSSSSS l.9St.s5S
Union Pacific ...::....... S6,OW s,I2a go
40; county tax, sS7.069 school tax. Ns.4H;
state tax. tiS,UO.
Designate RiEht-Of-Way.
A bin to designate Jast what railroad
right-of-way shall consist Of. precisely
how wide Il shall be and how Its valua-
tion per mile shall be estimated. Is the
remedy sought by Mr.. Counsman. A bill
along these lines Is to be drawn by
County Attorney Magney.
As a matter OF fact" said Mr.. Couns-
man. there is no reason why we should
not have a terminal taxation law affect.