The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-16
MEMPHIkNS WILL
BENEFIT BY new
STATE APPRAISAL
Average Valuation in Other
Counties May Go as high as
400 Per Cent Over Present
( Assessment.
STATE TAX RATE is
SURE TO BE REDUCED
With Shelby County Increase
800 Per Cent Smaller Ratio
OF Entire State Tax Will Be
Paid. f. r.

Although it is stated at the offices
81 the State Equalization board at
NashVille that the tAbulation of the an
pralSal OF real estate in the SO counties
OF tennessee for assessments purposes
NH WIll not nave been completed until the
Z llFst ot the year sufficient information
is available for some comparisons.
IL appears that in the strictly agri-
cultural counties, which form the larger
proportion, that the appraisal shows an
average increase of not less than 400
sesSment
This ratio of increase. it Is stated,
VIII apply also to such counties as
Knox and Davidson, and as a general
rule it is believed that the average in
crease over the entirA state, outside of
Shelby county, viii be about 400 per
+. cent.
: In Shelby, the increases on farm
lands, outside the city. will probably
run about the same, but in the city
proper the increases will average prob
ably not much more than 200 per cent,
or double the present assessment for
state and county purposes II should
be remembered that the county assess
ment figures in Memphis arc several
millions lower than the city assessment
figures, as, for years the city has made
It's own assessment independently OF
state and county valuation.
Lower State Tax for City.
- II the above estimate is correct as
now Seems probable, Memphis and
shelby county next year VIII pay far
smaller proportion Of the entire state
tax than ever Before. For years, Shelby
county paid about one sixth to one-
seventh of the entire state tax, caused
ply the higher assessment here as com
pared to the average assessment in the
other counties of the state. ~
This sapnhd, I'm he sipst S,airca fnr en,t, :
plalnt But with higher valuation for
aSsessm ent purposes In the other eoun-
lies which is now promised, II can
easily be figured that Shelby county
entire state tax. Certainly the ratio
should not ne more than ~ per cent,
and Ii may be much less uian that
n The state tax, now 65 cents. or 70
cents including highway and university
taxes including tRc school tax, which
tainly be greatly reduced. II the esti-
mates from Nashville that the - total
realty assessment Is raised anproxi-
mately 400 per cent with only 800 per
cent for Shelby county, the total state
tax rate will be automatically reduced
SO that shelby win pay some 20 per
cent less. tax than now. There Is no
danger that the. state tax will not be
reduced for thee new Jaw provides a
sliding scale. fixed exactly in proper
fJlOn 10 the total assessment.
- Whatever the state tax rate may fall
to in order to raise the same revenue
as at present, If the average raise An
the state outside Shelby county is 400
per cent, while the average increase for
the valuation in Shelby county, inolud-
\ than 0Fper cent necessarily this
county will get the benefit OF the lower
tax rate with the rest of the state, but
WIN pay a. far less proportion OF the
total state tax. Anyone with q pencil
and piece of paper can figure that out
Present indications are that Memphis
city property may get raise in assess,
rnent of not over $50 per cent and
hence a stil greater proportiohate saw
ing In actual taxes paid. ~ g..
Sometime ago, Mr.. Louthan. in q
statement made for publication, said
that in one county in d1ast TENNESSEE
the former assessment had been In
creased By his appraisers 10 times
over ..,;, =,
Naturally, such an increase in the ap'
praised valuation would, not apply II
most of the counties, which are agri'
cultural counties.
But recent figures Of increases II
some strictly farming counties. SHOW
that in many Of these also, the as
/sessed valuations have been 80 low a
to bear only a slight relation 10 IN
actual cash valueI and in many suci
counties increases have been nadeNbl
the state appraisers from 800 to NOR
than 500 per cent
For example, In five of the averag
agricultural counties. three in Middl
Tennessee. one In West Tennessee ant
one in the eastern division, the aggre
gate total assessment now Is $22, 453,
900
ties is sl65, ,5S2, 00g or an increase of al
most 500 per cent. :,
The appraisers are still at work i
the CITY wards and while they hope t
complete their field work by the en-
of the present week. they may not b
ahle TO as much testimony must still
he taken from real estate men familia
with values in the city. and their esti
mates must be compared with the act
nal recorded sales which are used as
general basis from which to make tsf
appraisal,