Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1919-11-20
TOWNLEY SCHEMES \
RESPONSIBLE FOR 4
INCREASED kkES
EXPENSE Of State Government Trebled Increased Valu
aton Necessary as Four Mill limit had been Reached
Jamestown Tax Figures.

From time to time the Alert has
given q few instances of the increase
Of 1919 taxes, on farm lands in this
county, over the taxes Of 1918, and
others will be given later as the tax
lists are made up. The responsibility
for the increase in the farmers taxes
Is due to the necessity of raising
large sums Of money to finance the
various schemes of legislation enact
ed by the Nonpartfsan League, and
to pay the salaries and other expens-
es which have followed the control
Of legislation by Mr.. Townley and
his associates.
In order to raise this money It was
found that 1t would be necessary to
treble the state tax, and in order to
do this farm lands were assessed at
their true value in money, or sup
posed to be, instead of thirty per
cent Of their actual value as here
tofore. Under the old valuation It
would have been impossible to raise
the money for the Townley scheme Of
state socialism, as the state was al,
ready up to the four mill limit pro-
vided by the constitution.
In increasing the assessment Of
farm lands an idea Of the tremen-
dous amount Of money which will be
raised in the state may be seen by
the revaluationF Of these lands, made
by the state equalization board. In
stutsman county for instance, the as
sessable acreage is 1,393,S45 acres.
The valuation for the 1913 tax was
$11,s01,o45, while the valuation for
1919 tax is $4s,105,933.
In other words, a quarter section
of land in this county assessed IN
1918 at an average value Of $7:l7
would pay a state tax OF 1898, and
the same quarter section under the
new valuation, Of $34.5o per acre,
would pay state tax Of $16.45, or
over $50 per cent increase. without
the hail assessment. Some farmers
offer to sell their land for less than
the state valuation. for tax purposes.
Increased State Expenses.
The cost Of running the state gov
ernment has enormously increased
since 1917, due to the appropriations
made by the Nonpartisan League leg
islature to carry out all kinds OF
schemes put in operation by social.
istic leaders, who had to have large
sums for state ownership pro1ects'
increased salary lists, unnecessary
and high priced officials, clerks, dep
uties and new departments OF state.
In 1917 the State Board Of Equalt-
zatfon levied $1,542,111.90 for all
nurposes, In addition to fiat tax on
automobiles which had before been
assessed on an adva1orem basis.
In 1918 the state tax levy for all
purposes was $1,577,255.4e. a slight
Increase.
N 1918 THE TAX LEVY WAS
/ IS, 800, 900 or more than twice as
much as three. years ago, and almost
three times as much as was expend-
Cd by the administrators which pre-
ceeded that q the Nonpartisan Lea
sue. . .
Il addition there have been lev N
led by the Nonpartisan government.
(which will be paid BY taxpayers and and
3consumers), large number Of spe-
3cial taxes, such 90 workman's com.
spensation, income tax, tar on OIL l.'l' ands g
sxas. automobiles, Inspection OF POOL
halls. tar on farmers elevator stock
ftax il,l;.as On state OF life Insurance, nat
han tax. tax on mortgages OF notes.
This aggregates over two and e hall
million dollars more. In addition,
the SxtrIavaganee Of the socialist pan pllE'..
required almost million dollars
s. more IS which win be raised from fees.
penalties; 1 commissions and license
taxes of various kinds. The grana#
total 81 money appro ropriated for the the
needs of the Nonpartisan League
government of North Dakota u.
l19ls-1s20 viii aggregate more than
seven and 8 quarter million dollars
sor the huge sum of : .26 !, sb5 So q
EIt il 10 wonder that the taxes d : On ''
sfarm land have been enornnlot ously IN. "A
.n.ra,seiis and on city roperty also.