The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-05-20
Writer in Iowa Farmer Declares That
System is All Wrong and Anti
quated and Points Out
Discrimination.
rs IN ALL COMMUNITIES
Much Complaint Was Raised Over.
Capitol Improvement, But in
One County Dog Tax
Exceeds This.

Iowa taxes have almost doubled in
| the last ten years.
In 1909, the total tax collected for
all purposes in Iowa was $25, 724, ISL.
| This year, the total tax will amount
to $50, 055, ISL.
! These facts are pres ented. in an
article written by J. w. Jarnagin,
editor Of the Iowa Farmer, and pub
| lished in the current issue Of that
paper. He points out gross Unequal
| tiles in taxation and declares the
| taxation system is wrong. He says
| in part:
Where Taxes Go.
Let us observe the advances in
| the amount of taxes for purely local
purposes. In 1909 the sum Of $780,
496 was paid into the county fund.
! This year the ninety-nine counties
| will collect $4,S73,s94 in this fund.
| Ten years ago S552,S33 was sufficient
for the poor fund. This year the
counties will collect S1,00S, 121 for re-
lief Of the poor. Widows pensions
among other things caused an in
crease Of about S115,000 over the poor
tax of previous years.
Ten years ago the property own
ers paid S1,923,431 for bridges This
year $4,114,964 will be collected in
this fund.
CITY taxes also show a big in
crease in ten years. In 1906 81 ,233. 291
was collected for the operation Of
municipalities. This year the amounts
will be 1887 $50. School mainten-
ance cost $9,5S3,174 in 1906. This
year the cost is S17,730,062.
Mostly Local.
From the above it will be seen
that the great bulk of taxes are for
local purposes and boards of super
visors and township trustees, togeth-
er with local school boards, have the
matter in their hands 1t would ap-
pear then that the place to fight high
taxation is right at home rather than
before the legislature in Des Moines.
We have had opportunity to study
legislative enactments as they affect
taxation, and we have been in close
contact with members of the legisla-
ture for many years and we make
bold to state that if local officials
were one-half as careful in leyyfng
taxes and eXpending the same in an
efficient manner as are the members
of the legislature and other state Of
ficia1s, there would not be the fault
finding that there is, because taxes
could be materially reduced if inef-
ficiency were eliminated in local ad
ministration.
Entire System Anticipated.
"Our entire system of taxation is
Anticipated and illogical. Assessments
are the basis of taxation. There is an
assessor for every township in the
state. In addition to this every town
and city has an official whose duties
are along similar lines. With such a
complicated system it is impossible
to get adequate and just discrimina
ton in fixing values. The state exc
cutive council endeavors to make an
equitable equalization every year,
but the problem is beyond adequate
solution However the returns sub
mitted from the different counties af-
ford an object lesson that confirms
our contention that our whole finan-
ciel system is wrong.
ITO show what kind of a task the
council has It is only necessary to
cite the values scheduled in num-
Der Of counties:
Proof OF Inequalities
"Yearling colts. Keokuk county,
s66.O4: Plymouth county, 1922.
Two year old colts, Crawford coun-
ty, s95.o7; Green county, $50.
Horses, three years old and over,
Crawford county, $116.4o; Greene
county. $50.
stations, Tama county, s4s7.7s;
Van Buren, county, s1SIS7.
Horses, over one year old, Craw-
ford county, s1os.50; Green county,
$500
Mules, over one year old, Keokuk
county, s127.56; Greene county, $50.
Cattle in feeding, Keokuk county,
SG4O1; Floyd county, 1929.
"Heifers, two years old. Crawford
county, S49.14: Greene and Plymouth
counties, $4,000.
Cows. Crawford county, s51-19;
Dickinson county, $500.
Steers, one year old. Crawford
county, s32.s2; Winnebago county,
1892.
county, s65.43; Muscstine county,
.$2l.67
Steers, two years old, Crawford
county. $500; Wright county. s23.47.
Bulls. Cedar county, s54.11; Appa-
moose county, S1O.3S.
Cattle. all ages, over one year,
Eeckuk county. Salts: Wright county
$2254.
Swine, over six months old, Lyon
county, $12.7O; Plymouth county,
$500.
sheep. over six months old, Des
Moines county, S5.72; Greene county,
$500.
Goats. over six months old. Har-
r.son county, S1O66: Story county,
S1.02
I The above is only sample. Other
| items could be magnified that would
make even a worse showing th1r the
! ones cited. The trouble is with the
| system. Our entire revenue policy is
| wrong. It may have served its day
and generation in a creditable man.