The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1929-03-14

Mr.. Morrell has just had completed |
a survey to determine the relation of
the National forests to the tax stu
alton in the state. Under Federal
law, 20 percent of the gross returns
from all uses of the National forests
is returned to the counties in which
the forests are located. This con-
tribution has annually averaged in
Montana for the last five years the
sum of S67,452.
Federal expenditures for the con-
struction Of public roads through and
adjacent to National forests of the
state have amounted to $516,117 am
nually during the past five years.
Expenditures for roads and trails
primarily for protection and develop
ment of the National forests in Mon
tana have averaged S520,5S1 annual
| ly. The counties have derived much
benefit from this class of roads and
trails.
In order to determine the amount
of money the state and counties have
received in taxes from National for
est lands if the forests had not been
reserved, careful valuation was
made of the National forest lands in
the state after a study of the basis
of assessment and tax rate on all
other lands in each county.
Much of the National forest land
in the state is mountain top, barren,
or burned-over land, scrubby timber,
or grazing land of low value, which
no individual would care to own and
pay taxes on. Such land has, in gen.
eral, no sale value, but has a public
value for watershed protection and
recreation. After throwing out all
this class of land it was estimated
that the better-grade timberlands and
grazing lands in the National for
ests in Montana would take an es-
kessed value of approximately $780,
100000. This valuation will, of
course, steadily increase as the coun-
try develops. Applying the tax rate
in the various counties to the esti-
mated present value, it was deter
mined that the annual taxes might
amount to S341, 500. The govern
ment's contribution to public roads
and schools of the counties during
the past five years has averaged
S5SS,000, or $4,000 per year more
than the estimated receipts from tax
alton had the National forests not
been reserved from entry. This is
: exclusive of the $520,581 spent on
minor roads and trails, and of large
additional costs for improvement
, protection, and administration of the
National forests.
; The total land area of Carbon
! county is 1,924,160 acres. Of this
amount 653,655 acres are tax paying
Il The area of land within the Bear
; tooth National forest in Carbon coun
ty is 302, AIT acres. The total amour
: of this area adapted to private own
hrship is approximately $4,000 acres
y and the probable tax return is So,
S $4,000 per year.
: The records of the Beartooth Ma
u tional forest show that the tota
y amount of the 25 percent fund, (thi
5 Act provides that % percent of tn
u gross receipts are returnable to TIL
! county from which the receipts hav
: been derived, to be used for school
"a and road purposes), from the. tim
+ the forest was created until 1872
/ t20 years. amounts to S31,159.2C
le The amount expended for the con
m struction of roads and trails is S84
W O46O0 or a total of $115,211.49, o
lie the average annual amount is S.
or 760.57.
S The situation in Saltwater count
lie is considerably more pronounced. TIL
rs net area within the forest is 1884,
OF acres. Of this amount approximate
ne l0,O00 acres are adapted to privat
ne ownership, and the probable tax n
y turn is only $565.65 per year. TIL
Beartooth records show that the 2
percent fund amounts to $946O.57 fc
the corresponding 2O-year period, an
p that. the local organization has e,
pended for the construction of roa,
in and trials $15,6O3.96 The total COZ
H. tribution by the Beartooth has bee
nd 5,064.53, or $1,25322 annually fl
,s- the 2O-year period. This is mo-
IS. than double the amount that the r
ed turn would be in the event the lar
as were in private ownership.
rs These figures will appear liber
tn when it is considered that the mo