The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-07-17
TAX QUESTION
QUERY OF HOUR


"What will my taxes be ?" is the cry
of the hour in Bismarck as we'll as
other municipal cities in North Da-
kota.
Karl Kositzky, state auditor and
Bismarck taxpayer, says they will be
at least two-thirds higher than they
were year ago.
City Assessor E. f. Morris, who is
still wrestling with city assessments
under the leagues new tax plan ad-
mits that he has very little idea as
to what the taxes will be this fall.
City Auditor Cecil Burton is in the
same boat.
Owing to the radical change made
in the states tax system, some $780,
900 worth of assessors supplies were
destroyed last spring, and the officers
were compelled to wait until new
supplies could be printed. The am
biguity and complicated nature of the
tax laws generally has caused further
delay, and the sessions which the city
commission should have begun June
10, sitting as city board of equali-
zation, will not begin until week or
ten days more have elapsed.
It is generally estimated that the
city's valuation will be at least doub-
led and that the increase most prob
ably will be $50 per cent. Bismarck
was assessed on a valuation of $2,-
100000 last year. Under the new
plan it probably will pay on an as
sessed valuation of $6,000,000. It is
not probable that the city will be let
off with less than four mills for state
taxes, which would mean levy of
| $4,000 for state purposes alone. On
valuation of $6,000,000, levy of at
least 10 mills and probably Is would
be required for city purposes, and in
addition there will be school, county
and road taxes. Heretofore Bis
marck's tax levy has been at the rate
, of about 76 mills. The rate should
however, be reduced as to city, coun'
ty and school taxes, with TIE higher
valuation. ~'
The owner of city dwelling which
he occupies as his own home will be
allowed an exemption of $1,000, and
the remaining valuation will be as.
sessed at so per cent. Therefore, or
a 5000 home occupied by the own
er, the assessed valuation would be
$4,000 upon which the tax, exclusive
of special improvements, would be
about $152 under the old rate. Pre-.
suming, however, that the city, count.
ty, school and road rate levy is re.
duced in accordance with the doub.
led or trebled valuation, the tota
levy should not exceed SO mills fol
all purposes, which would, on, a So,
600 home occupied by the ownsr
meap A tote;. tax Of $lO0, exclusive o,
special improvements. The same
home, if rented, would not, however
be subject to the $1,000 exemption
and the tax would be $3.50.
| While the league claimed for its
tax legislation that it favored the
home owner, its effect will be gener'
ally to increase the H. C. of L. fol
the wage Garner who cannot afford
to own home. The increased bur.
den on tenant property is already be.
ing passed on in anticipation to the
ultimate consumer-in this case the
renter. New rental contracts are be-
ing made on an average basis of $5
per month more than was asked q
year ago. Landlords are contending
that the higher rate is necessary to
enable them to meet the discrimina-
tory tax levy on tenant property
and they assert that their net reve-
nues from such property are not be-
. ing increased.
~. -- -..:,, ~, I I: natural increase j."
the cost of all government processes,
city, school, county and state, of at
least rs per cent, to meet higher
wage requirements and the advanc-
ing costs of supplies of every descrip-
ton. Added to this will be an al
most 100 per cent increase in state
expenditures resulting from the crea-
tion of a dozen or more new boards
and commissions, for which substan-
tial appropriations were provided by
the last assembly, and to the levies
which must be made to provide an
interest and sinking fund to retire
the $17,000,00 bonded debt which
the state soon will assume in carry
ing out the league program of in
dustrial democracy. As a result,
there is little reason to hope that,
even with the assessed valuation on
farm lands, city property and other
taxable assets doubled and trebled,
there can be any decrease in the
state tax rate, which in all probabil-
ity will not be under four mills and
which State Auditor Kositzky be-
lieves may be more.-Bismarck Tri-
bune.