American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1922-02-10
WHEAT TAX MAY
BELEVIEDAGAINST
GRAIN ELEVATORS
COMMISSIONERS INVESTIGATING
MATTER in OTHER COUNTIES
WOULD MATERIALLY INCREASE
AMOUNT OF ASSESSABLE PRO-
PERTY IN COUNTY.
IS CUSTOMARY PRACTICE
Claim Lowered Taxes Would Result
From Addition Of This Item-COm-
panies And Farmers Who Hold for
Speculation Would Be Hit.

All wheat in warehouses and eleVa-
tors on the second Monday in January
is subject to taxation according to
Commissioner Earring, chairman of the
County board. and Assessor o. +.
Crowley. Whether or not it will be
put on the tax roll depends upon the
reslts of the investigation now being
made relative to common practice in
other counties of the state, says the
commissioner.
The state law states very plainly that
the wheat is subject to tax says the
commissioner and it has always been
up to the county assessor to include or
exclude it on the tax roll. Here tofore
wheat in elevators has never been tax
ed. The commissioners this year in
structed the assessor to be particular
ly diligent in getting all property on
the tax roll, with the result that sew
eral OF the large grain companies and
some farmers are raising a protest.
Carl Rudeen Talks.
The farmers and elevator side of the
issue is explained in part by the letter
published elsewhere on this page and
written by Carl Rudeen, a prominent
Power County farmer. The point is
lcllOCu Cl1etI lllG lcil lllSI 6NSuludllJ pays
the tax, even though the assessment is
made against the grain company. And
farmer who had grain in storage on
the second Monday in Jnuary would
be assessed double for his produce
Commissioner Earring in commenting
on the issue says "The law plainly
states that wheat in elevators or ware
houses on the second Monday in jan
| N wv ia crhioaf tn haxg.ffnrN
| feed and seed. There is no question.
in my mind but what grain companies
holding wheat for speculation should
pay a tax ON their grain. And if the
grain companies are taxed the farmer
should be taxed. No discrimination
should be shown. We have advised
| the county assessor to place every bit
of available preoprty on the tax roll
to reduce, if possible, the present tax
levy. That is our only reason.
II am informed that a grain tax is
levied in Washington, Oregon and Cal
I ifornia on the first Monday in March.
| This is also the case in the state of
Utah. Why should not Idaho receive
the same revenue. And why should a
large amount of personal property be.
left off the roll entirely.
No Policy Announced.
1--WE are investigating the policy
pursued by other counties in the mat
ter and will be guided by their policy
to large extent regard this mat
ter as serious enough to merit the
consideration of every tax payer and
can assure them that it is an effort to
materially tighten the tax burden by
distributing it more widely and fairly
on the shoulders of those who should
pay"
John w. Allen, of the Idaho Wheat
growers Association states for the
Press that the wheat of the association
has never been taxed in Utah as it has
been considered as stored in terminal
elevators. He states that general pol
icy does not include tax on grain in
terminal elevators but that grain is
secondary elevators is taxed