The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-02-08
BACKS SENATORS
STAND ON ROADS

Editor of The Silver State:

Editor of The Silver State:
No man in Humboldt county is
more qualified to pass an opinion on
the burden of taxation than Senator
Sheehan. In addition he represents
the Humboldt Hotel, which will be
more benefited by improved high
ways than any other property in
the county, and also represents the
First National bank, which stands
to make a commission on the county
bonds, and when his voice is raised
in warning every taxpayer in the
county should heed his words and
give the matter serious thought.
He estimates the amount COW
ering ten-year period at $685.
600 and has evidently not included
this county's proportion of the state
tax which it is proposed shall be $5,-
900, 900 during the next two years.
Humboldt county is third in wealth
and its share Of the state appro-
priation would be at least one
fifteenth, increasing the Senator's
figures to approximately S1,870,000
for the ten-year period with our
share Of the state appropriation for
the eight-year period following 1924
still to be added to the grand total.
Beyond that comes the resurfacing
of the roads and no wonder the
Senator says, ~ haven't dared to
think of that, yet"
This section of the state does
not posses any natural advantages
to attract a residential population.
It has no forest clad mountains
with trout streams and lakes, no
ocean driveways, no drives along
shaded roads through rich farm
ing country with good houses and
barns and fields pasturing blooded
horses and cattle, no lake for bath
ing, boating and aquatic sports.
Winnemucca is a town set down
in the midst of a barron waste.
When l first came to Winnemucca
one of the leading merchants said to
me: This is a good town to do
business. in but a poor town to
live in Other merchants at diff
ferent times voiced the same opinion
and they probably had in mind the
lack of natural advantages l have
mentioned.
There is no cheap power here for
manufacturing and it is a reasonable
conclusion that the town will never
be larger than the needs of the
surrounding country call for and
no residents except those whose
interests are here.
As there is no special value which
can accrue to property in this sec
ion of the state for residential pur-
poses each piece of property must
have a value only on account of
its income producing capacity. 1t
is a well know fact all over the
country that large real estate op-
orators in placing a value upon
property take into account the tax
rate and the bonded Indebtedness
of the county, as these are consid-
cred in the light of liens against
the property. My experience is
that bankers making large loans
take the same items into considera-
ton.
Each taxpayer should figure out
approximately what his increase of
taxes will be and what his pro-
portion of the bonded indebtedness
will be, and then ask himself
whether the increase of value to
his property or. the increase in in
come will offset his share of the in
debtedness. If mans share of
the bonded Indebtedness is $1,000
then his property is worth $1,000
less, as his property must be as
sessed at some future time to pay
that $1,000. 1t is up to each tax
payer to figure out his own share
and decide what his limit is and
then vote to stop there.
Paradise Valley can produce an
abundance of grain but cannot
transport it to Winnemucca and
compete with the freight rate from
Lovelock. Lack of feed on the
ranges has cut into the cattleman's
business and he must do something
more than get a calf out of a COW,
and Paradise Valley needs a good
road for transportation and l would
go the limit to give them
one.
The Orovada settlers are expert
menting with what can be done
agriculturally with Humboldt coun-
ty's tens of thousands of acres. No
helping hand has been extended to