The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-02-01

some parts OF the CITY.
Special appraisers for the" commits
sion are investigating the property
values and earnings Of utility and
business corporations in st. Louis, st.
Louis county, Kansas City and other
cities of the State, and large increas-
es will be recommended upon these
properties.
AS an incentive to the assessment
of property at its true value in money,
Gov. Gardner plans to convene the
Forty-Ninth General Assembly into
extra session in March to reduce the
State, county, municipal and school
maximum tax levies so that no more
money than is needed can be collected
on the higher assessments.
Gardeners Program Told.
The argument of those opposed to
full assessments has been that the
State and its subdivisions will col
lect more money in taxes than is
needed for their economical admins
tration, and that extravaganza would
run rampant. SD
1t was to silence this opposition that
the extra session to reduce tax levies
was arranged.
To fix State, county, school and mu-
nicipal tax levies high enough SO that
the State and its political subdivisions
would get enough money to admin
lister the affairs in the satisfactory
manner and low enough so that they
would not get more than was neces-
sary upon the high valuations, is the
problem to be solved by Gov. Gardner
and the Legislature.
There is likely to be serious differ
ences of opinion in regard to the re-
duction to be made in the tax levies.
In fixing the State Tax, now Is cents
on the 800 valuation, the lawmakers
will have TO take into consideration a
number of things, chief of which are:
l. Increased demands for revenue
which will arise with the growth and
development of the State and its in
stitutions.
2. Probable creation of new de-
partments to be supported from the
revenues.
3. Threatened loss through prohi-
bition of the revenues derived from
the liquor traffic and beer inspection,
amounting annually to about $780,
900.
The State owes the st. Louis Clear
ing House Association $2,150,000,
which it borrowed during the last ses-
sion of the Legislature to pay the
bills left unpaid by the preceding ad-
ministration.
This loan must be paid this year.
The money must be obtained over and
above the necessary running expenses
of the State. Should the new tax
laws, just now becoming operative
fail to come up to the expectations,
the additional money will have to be
gotten from direct taxes to fill the
gap. ell.
Gardner Would Lower Tax.
Gov. Gardner estimates the State
rate can be reduced from Is cents to
cents on the 500 valuation. This
contemplates the trebling of present
property values, and the, discovery of
large additional intangible wealth
for taxation.
The amount of money which the
State must get from direct taxation
will be governed largely by whether
prohibition is adopted, and the sum
collected through the operation of the
inheritance, income, corporation, fran
chise and other new tax laws.
With respect to these contingencies,
however, the extra Legislature will
be shooting largely into the air.
1t has been suggested in some cir
cles that the county courts, school
districts and municipal taxing au-
thorities be permitted to fix the lev
les in their jurisdictions.
This plan does not meet the approx
al of Gov. Gardner. He is of the
opinion the Legislature should fix the
maximum tax levies for counties,
schools and municipalities.
The adjustment of county, school
and municipal levies will present pc
culiar difficulties. Counties and cities
of Missouri under the old system CT
taxation accumulated debts from year
to year through revenue scarcity,
which now aggregate many millions
of dollars.
In addition to the floating indebted
ness of $1,455,65G of As counties to
which reference was made, the incor-
poratcd towns and cities of Missouri
owe a sum many times as large.
These debts must be paid and at
the same time the counties and mu-
inequalities having such obligations
must raise enough money to dcfray
their ordinary expenses, pay official
salaries and carry on their usual gov
ernmental activities.
The Legislature in fixing maximum
levies for counties and cities must
take into consideration such indebted
ness which must be paid from the rev.
enue fund. Unless care is taken by
the Legislature in fixing the maxi
mum levies, counties and cities now
burdened with debt will find them
selves worse off under the full assess
ments than before for the reason that
heretofore valuations could be raised
in a pinch to meet pressing financial
obligations.