Omaha daily bee., 1921-07-10
Increase in Tax
Rate Predicted
For Nebraska
Marked Decline in Valuation
Is Shown in Reports Made
By 26. Counties to
State Commission.

Lmcoln. July 9.-(Special )-Fron
present indications state taxes fo
1921 will be 1915 mills, according tc
statement issued today by w. H
Osborne, state tax commissioner.
The mill levy last year, Osborne
stated, was l03o.
This estimate, however, is subject
to change as it is made on the re.
ceipt of abstracts from only 70 coun.
ties in the state received up to date
The reason for the increase, &C
cordng to Osborne, is the big reduc-
ton in valuations OF property turned
in by the 2o counties, and even in Or
der to raise as much as last year an
increase would be necessary under
the lower valuation of this year. Os-
borne's statement follows:
36 Abstracts Received.
"There have been So abstracts
sent in to the tax commissioner from
the several county assessors OF the
state, 10 of which have been returned
for correction. Twenty-six of these
counties show a reduction in person.
al property of approximately 1878
per cent.
"The total personal property in
1920 amounted to $220,ol0,o32 based
upon one-hfth valuation, and if this
ratio holds out, the valuation of per-
sonal property in the state will be
$ol9,7o2,o70 actual value. These
same counties return an assessment
this year on their lands and improve
ments, which is exclusive of town
lots and city property, to the amount
of $549, ,883,o40 actual valuation as
against $648,661,972 in 1920 based
upon actual value, which is a reduc-
ton Of approximately 1928 per cent.
"The total actual value of real es-
tate and improvements last year
was $2,144,473,350, and it will be
seen that if this ratio holds good for
1921, the value of this class of prop
erty will approximate $1,817,870,058.
There is an apparent reduction in
city real estate of about 10 per cent,
and upon this basis, the value of
town lots and city property will
amount to $500,862,77l actual value.
This will mean that the value of the
state for 1921, and upon which the
state levy will be based, will be
around $3,23S,4o5,47o. The appro-
priations made by the legislature ap-
3roximate $26,513,771 for the bien-
mum, out of which should be deduct
ID the sum of $5,225,27o, estimated
,ash fund, which leaves a balance ;
If $2l, ,2SS,491 to be raised by taxa
ion, one-half of which would be
10,644,245 for the year 1921, which {
would require levy based upon the |
lctual valuation of property of 3.03 +,
# mill or 1915 of mill were the t
,asis to be made uron the one-ffth I
+aluation. {
Levy Must Be Raised. |,
"The levy in 1920 was 1899 mills i
'r 1859 upon every $500 property
value, where as in 1921 the levy, as
Indicated above would cost the tax
,ayer $1.51.5 or 47.6 cents more up :
IN his $500 value than it did in 1920. :
"There are 20 counties that have +
eported 56,543 automobiles at a :,
alue of $18,245,8o5, whereas in 1920 :
hey reported $1,000 automobiles at r r
value of $20,838,l80. This makes +
,4S3 more automobiles in 1921, :
which are valued at little over ST. =
10000 less money. =
"There was $6,930,42o listed as =
redits this year as against $6,888,020 i
4 1920. The money on hand on de-
osit in banks seems to have dropped
1ore than $4,s00,000 in these 90 Q
ounties which show $12,022,882 for y
o2l, as against $l6,638,5S0 in 1920" !: