The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1918-05-03
CITY TAX Rate
MUST BE RAISED
TO PAY EXPENSES
School Board May Have To
Ask For Special Election
for Extra Levy.
STATE BOARD REDUCES
COUNTY ASSESSMENTS
jefferson City Tax Wrangle
Causes Reduction OF Local
Light Compan's Taxation

The revenue OF the city from taxa
ton has been reduced five per cent by
the action of the State Board OF
Equalization, according 20 the esti-
ma.e compiled by county and city Of
fcials upon receiving notice from the
State Board Of Equalization that the
total assessments Of Cape GiraTdeau
County exclusive Of the merchants
ard manufacturers assessments, had
bee txed by the State board at SILL
car.J"". This IS approximately $It,-
Ucaa.l IS than the assessments
admitted % the state board by the
county officials on the basis Of 4 full
value assessment.
The action of the State board
I:Iu"her Sporting, clerk OF the county
co4"-, said yesterday, viii mean al
increase OF thc tax rate of the cities
and d special tav levy by the board
Of education Of the city, if no way
can be found to reduce the cXpendi-
turc5>of the city ard the school board
By the ruling Of the State Board
OF Equalization, the tax assessment OF
the 1Iissouri Pubic Utilities Co.
which had been assessed a. 5000
by the county board of equalization
l.as reduced to &111,G00, or $4,000
less than list year's' assessment. a
general reduction vas made on al
property, but this WAS The largest
that affects the city.
With the additional expenses fol
salaries fer city officers an increase
of Inc tax rate for the city will be
nee ssary in order 70 avoid Il deficit
in tie general revenue fund at the end
OF The year. 1t was expected that
With the increase Of the tax valuation
in accordance with the new tax law
the city would derive sufficient funds
to meet the amount overdrawn on the
general revenue fund of the city.
The same will apply 10 the county
Mr. Sporting said. When the salary
Of The Circuit Clerk was fixed at
$1,000 q year, and the Office Of the
probation officer WAS created 1T $500
year. the expenditure Of tho
county Ter salaries was raised, and IN
order to meet this increase with the
tax assessments reduced By the StatC
Board of Faua'ization, it VIII be nee
cssacy to increase the county tax rate
The reduction Of the tax valuation
OF Inc entire county BY the State
Beard of Equalization will also NEAR
a reduction Of the revenue for Tho
hoard of education of this city. Ihi'
will also necessitatc an increase OF
the revenue for the Board of Educa
ton. This deficit will have tn b'
ma1c up by a special 1evy, which
would require a special election IN th(
city for a certain per cent of the tar
Sa'uation.
With the merchants and manufac
turers assessments added TO the ta'
valuation certified back to the count!
by the State Board OF Equalization
the total will reach the $13,O0O,O0'
mark. Butcher SperIing said, but tn:
will not be sufficient 10 make up tht
reduction of the tax valuation of tht
Missouri Pubic Utilities Co. of TIN:
city for the reason that the city vii
not receive any taxes derived from Tn
manufacturers and merchants in TIL
county.
Some OF the reductions made by Tn
Board of Equalization in this count,
arc: Farm lands reduced to "a pc
cent of the actual value; town lots {
81 ger cent Of their value; mortgage
and bonds to 80 per cent; horses AM
mules and other domestic animal
from ~ to a per cent of their vaiui
This years assessments submltte
to the State Board of Equalization b
the county board were based on actua
value of the assessabie property. TIL
last State Legislature passed LAY
providing for a full value assessment
but owing to a controversy betwee
the State Board of Equalization an
the State Tax Commission the queS
ton was never decided whether tn
new law should be enforced or whetf
er the assessments Should be made o
the old basis.