The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-02-29
Planning For
More Just
Tax Values
Commissioners and Libby
Men Discuss Appraisal
of Personal Property.
NO RAISE INTENDED
IN CLASSIFICATION

In CLASSIFICATION
Some is or 20 Libby taxpayers
met with the board of county COM
missioners Tuesday morning to dis
cuss with them a proposed new APP
praisal OF personal property in the
county. The commissioners have
been considering plan to hire an
expert to come into the county and
make a new appraisal of all person
al property. Reports had become
current that it was intended to
raise the valuations so as to in
crease the total taxable valuation of
the county to the point where the
classification of the county would be
raised from the seventh to the
sixth class. That proposed increase
in taxable valuations was objected
to by the Libby taxpayers.
Report Not True
However, it turned out that the
report to that effect was entirely err
roneous. The commissioners stated
emphatically they had no intention
to raise the total taxable valuation
and that II would be impossible to
raise the valuation enough to change
the classification even had they de-
sired to do so. The only object in
having the re-appraisal Of personal
property made, said the commission
ers, was to correct certain glaring
inequalities in valuations that have
developed during the years. As an
example, an instance was cited
where one Libby business concern.
q relatively small one, pays in taxes
on its fixtures as much rs all three
other businesses Of similar nature.
It was said this might be due to ig-
norance a. 10 true values rs turned
IN to the assessor by the man who
= paying too much in taxes for his
fixtures. Numerous other ineoual-
it, have developed, said the COM
u1ssioners, and every year there
are q great number Of bitter con-
pl1ints mAda n6Qst Whist appeor d
o. inequalities u aaoeeoed valua-
tons Of personal properties. II was
thought II = new appraisal OF prop
erty were made by m outside ex-
pert many of those complaints
could be done away with.
Valuation Might Be Less
The Libby taxpayers questioned
the ACCESSIBILITY OF having the ap-
praisal made and mourning the
necessary expense. AS far as com
plants were concerned, they main
tanned there would always be those
who would object to the amount OF
their taxes as long as taxes are
needed. They were also of the opin-
ION that the total valuation of tax
able property would be less after
the appraisal is made than it is now.
As an example of this, taxable val
uations on Libby business property
were referred to, and it was pointed
out that, as matter of fact, the
real valuation Of the property was
less than the present valuation on
which taxes are being paid.
In this connection Walter Neils
also raised similar point. He said
the ]. Neils company purchased both
the Libby Lumber Company and
the Boomers Ferry Lumber Com
pany timber holdings for a much
less figure than the valuation it is
now paying taxes on. He referred
to the purchase contracts now on
file in the court house and to the
company's tax assessment to prove
the point. He also said that fir.
larch and spruce timber is assessed
by the county at $3.50 per thousand
feet when as matter Of fact it can
be bought for Soc per thousand feet.
Pine timber is assessed at $500 per
thousand feet and it can be bought
from the forest service at $500 per
thousand feet. He said the danger
was that big timber owners would
move for lowering of their valua-
tons in view of the market price Oh
timber, if the matter of re-apprais-
ing all personal property In the
county was opened.
1t was also pointed out that even
though new appraisal were made
the county could not touch the valu-
atoms Of any of the publicS4tilities
IN the county, such as the railroad
light and power companies and tele-
phone company. The valuations OF
the utilities are set by the state
board OF equalization and the county
has no jurisdiction in that respect
The valuations on the utilities com
prise over 81 per cent of the tota
taxable valuation of the county
These facts were understood by tn,
commissioners and were taken int
consideration before considering /,
new appraisal.
The Libby men asked If the in
equalities in valuations could no
be smoothed out by giving the as
SCISSOR and his field men more tim,
to make assessments and by tn,
work OF the board OF equalization
which sits later in the year for tn
purpose Of correcting erroneous as
sessments.
Would Hire Expert
The plan the commissioners ha,
IN mind for new appraisal was t
hire Missoula man to do the work
This man has been an insurance ad
juster and is therefore acuuainte,
with property values. He has re