Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1919-08-29
ASKED FOR LOWER RATES
State Board of Equalization De-
clines to Lower Valuations.

the form of a reduced valuation
on properties in Idaho which
they asked for from the state
board of equalization.
The board Saturday, August
80 fixed valuations on the rail-
roads and finished it's task to
determine the values of proper
ties owned by other public utili-
ties.
The $6.5O0,0OO assessment re-
turned in 1918 against the prop
critics of the Idaho Power com
pany was allowed to stand, and
with but few minor changes val
uations which were chalked up a
year ago against the railroads
were accepted by the board.
Where changes were made in
the assessments levied on the
telephone companies the trend
was upward and not downward,
and both the Western Union
Telegraph company and the Pos
tai Telegraph company were as
sessed higher this year than
last.
Farm lands, business lots IN
the towns and cities, the lumber
companies, and three or four cor
porations will be taxed higher,
since. valuations return d
against them are higher, while
the railroads and other public
utilities will pay on approxima-
tely the same valuations as a
year ago.
With hardly an exception, all
of the public utilities asked for
reductions in valuations, claim
ing that they were paying a
greater proportion of the taxes
than were the farmers. The
board members have, without
exception, agreed that the tax
agents who appeared before
them in the interests of the cor
! porations have been justified in
their complaints, but they chose
without exception to raise valu-
ations on improved farm lands
rather than lower assessments
returned against the public utili-
ties.
In holding valuations higher
the board Saturday made an ex-
ception in the interest of the
Boise Valley Traction company's
lines in Boise, the Boise Street
Car company's lines and the
Caldwell Traction company's
lines.
Valuations on the Boise Val
ley Traction company's lines in
Boise city were reduced from
$1,000 to $4,000 a mile. On the
Boise Street Car company's
lines, from $1,000 to $500. In
making the reductions the board
members agreed that both the
companies needed relief. The
governor said that it was mat
ter of time until the street cars
would be forced to give way to
buses.
Valuations on the Wilder
branch of the Caldwell Traction
company's lines were cut from
$1,000 to $4,000 a mile, but the
reduction was offset by an in
crease of $4,000 a mile on the Nc
Neil branch.
Of the four large transcontin-
entail railroad lines which cross
the state only the Milwaukee got
reduction, and it was small.
Valuations on the main line were
reduced from $4,000 to S55, 900
mile on SO miles-a cut of only
$4,000.
Valuations on branch lines
fluctuated, but small decreases
were balanced by increases. The
Boise branch of Oregon Short
Line, which has heretofore been
assessed at $4,000 was raised to
$4,000. A like increase was
made on the Twin Falls branch
and the second track between
McCammon and Pocatello was
assessed at $1,000 a mile-iust |
double last years assessment.
The Pacific & Idaho Northern
for which some members pleaded
in vain because of its poor finan-
cial condition was assessed at
$4,000 a mile. Last year it was
assessed at $500.
The assessment of the Cont
mental Telegraph company, a
subsidiary of the Milwaukee
was reduced from $50
to $50 a wire mile, while the
Western Unions assessment was
increased from $500 to SIG a
wire mile.
Contrary to expectations no
effort was made to any of the
board members to get a reduc-