Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-05-07
WASHINCTON'S TAXES
fAR ABOVE AVERAGE
MONTANA'S HIGHEST WITH PEB
CAPITA OF $26.S3-THIS
STATES IS $23.21.

Residents of the state of Washing
ton do not pay the highest taxes in
the country--not quite. Montana,
for example, for state, county, mu-
nicipal and other purposes aside from
federal taxes, had in 1912 per cap
ita levy of $2683, while the Wash
ington per capita levy was only
$23.21, according to a Washington
dispatch to Seattle newspaper.
This, however, is quite high by
comparison. A special bulletin ON
the assessed valuation Of property
and rates of levy, just issued by the
bureau Of the census, shows a total
property tax levy of nearly $780,
100000 throughout the United States
in 1912. This amounts to 1891
per capita. Washington, then, with
her per capita Of 1921, is far above
the average. The total property tax
levy throughout the country was SO
per cent greater than it was in 1902.
and the general per capita 81 per
cent greater. This marks the in
crease in the cost of state, county
and municipal government.
National Levy of Taxes.
The levy of taxes on real estate,
personal property, and other property
subject to ad valorem taxation, by
states. counties, municipalities, school
districts, and other civil divisions in
1912 amounted to total of $1,349.-
841.0OO, or 1891 per capita. The
per capita levy in 1902 was 1922,
and in 1860 was only 50. It shoull
be kept in mind that thse figures dc
not cover the federal revenues, most
of which are derived from various
forms of indirect taxation, and also
exclude revenues derived by munich
palities from liquor licenses and other
licenses and fees.
The tax levy of New York state.
county, municipal and other purposes
in 1912 aggregated $221.467.000-
nearly one-sixth the total for the
United States and over two and one.
third times the corresponding figure
for Pennsylvania, which had the sec
on largest levy, $93,370.000.
Illinois Has $84, 1874 900.
Next to Pennsylvania was Illinois,
with total levy of $84,834,000, fol-
lowed closely by Massachusetts,, with
s82,566,O00. The per capita figures
for these four states, in the order in
which named, were $22.80, $11.52,
$14.37, and s23.27. The greatest per
canitn levy was that of Montana,
$26.83. Next in order we're Nevada,
with S24.02. and California, with
$3.50 There we're thus three West
err states II which the re~capita tax
levies were higher than those in any
Eastern state, and the rer capita
levies of two others - Washington,
with $23.21, and Oregon, with $22.64
were nearly as high. The lowest per
capita figure shown by any state in
1912 was that for North Carolina,
s4.33. Other states in which the
levies were small are Virginia, West
Virginia. South Carolina, Georgia,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mis-
sissippi. Arkansas and Texas, in all of
which the per capita tax for 1912 was
less than So.
Valuation of 500, ,453, 200, 900.
The assessed valuation Of real es-
ta-e. personal property and other
""orortv subject to ad valorem taxa
ton in 1912 was, in round figures.
$69,453, 3,00O,0O0--an amount almost
twice as great as the assessed valua-
ton of 1902, and nearly six times as
great as that In 1860 The assessed
value of real property and improve
ments subject to this taxation in 1912
was $51,S50. 900, ,000--nearly double
the real estate assessment in 1902
and more than seven times as great
as that of 1860. The per capita as
sessed valuation of all property sub
ject to ad valoreum taxation in
creased from s3S4.33 in 1860 to
$44S33 in 1902 and to $715.48 in
1912, while the corresponding per
capita figures for real property and
improvements increased from $221.76
in 1860 to s336.72 in 1902 and to
$534.18 in 1912.
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