Hungry Horse news., 1955-07-22
FIathead Tax Base Up ~ Per Cent

base took "a plus per cent jump
this year over last, according to pre-
liminary figures prepared by Grant
Campbell, Flathead county assessor |
and his crew, and obtained by the
Hungry Horse News Thursday morn
ing.
Flathead county's tax base is now
$21, 1913, ISL compared to $17,672, 1893
last year. Most of the increase is as
result of the new Anaconda Alum
mum Co. plant which has a COM
parable value on a tax basis as if a
city the size of Kalispell were, added
to the county.
Campbell points out that the pres
ent tax flgures Tor the county and
cities are subject to slight correct
ions, and he feels will increase slight
ly He has not yet received the state
board appraisals for utilities. His Of
flee knows the railroad assessments,
but not the state board figures for
Pacific Power and Light and West
ern Union. To arrive at the following
figures he used last years figures for
these utility valuations.
Flathead county's full valuation
will be over SIS, ,OOO, 900 compared to
s62, 1884, ,OO2 last year.
The Anaconda Aluminium Co. full
valuation is SIG, 200, ,44O compared to
$2,662, ,450 last year, and the tax base
81, ,663, $50 up from last years 1884,
$50.
| The Great Northern Railway, pre-
viously the county's largest taxpay-
er, has full valuation of $7,OO8, ,28O
this year, and last year paid $780,
600 in taxes.
However the Anaconda Aluminium
Co. is expected to take advantage
of new Montana law that permits
new industry to use a 7 per cent
tax base instead of 80 per cent. The
law was held illegal by the Silver
Bow district court, and has been ap
! pealed by the Victor Chemical Co
to the state supreme court. Anacon
r da paid approximately 23/3Oth of it,
: Flathead taxes or $56,819 under pro
test last year. Taxes paid under
{ protest cannot be spent until the is
5 sue is settled.
f On the 80 per cent tax base th'
p AAC valuation is $4,663, $50. On thu
/ 7 per cent basis, $1,437. 1873. Pleas
d see editorial on page 2.
n Columbia Falls full valuation nov
: tops $2,OO0,OOO (the figure is not de
6 termined) compared to 81 1894, ,691 las
year which was a % per cent in
} crease over 1858. Unofficial tax bas
: is now $629, ,472, compared to $543
:, 267 last year. A mill will raise $62
IS compared to $543 last year.
= District tax base including Co
n umbia Falls and the AAC valuation
is tentatively $7,818, ,187, compared
3,751, 1868 last year. If Anaconda pre-
tests the 80 per cent payment, tn
r actual effective district 6 tax bas
will increase from S3,75l, 1868 to 81
692,47O. BY the same token Fla
head county's effective valuation wi
n be $18,752,43 compared to SIT
i 672,399 last year.
. The Anaconda computation put
~ plant and equipment at per Gel
= under the new law, and office built
ings and other properties at higl
q er percentages, so actually it
III more than 7 per cent.
ID Kalispell tax base was give
by Campbell as tentatively $4,95
lg 281, compared to $4,937 ,245 last yes
p when the full valuation was $500
ze 478. Whitefish shows with $1,O42
es 267 tax base compared to $1,036, q
a. last year. This years figures are
rs increase slightly. Whitefish's full va
uation last year was $3,765,O9
However this comparison SHOW
Columbia Falls having marked i
crease in comparison with the t.
II base $692, ,472 up from $543, 3,267.
r. Flathead county commissions
rk will revise the county budget Au
of ust 8 and set mill levies August
rd On that date the whole city, coun
us school district levies will be Sc
IN, Last weeks Hungry Horse News CO
1is ried two lengthy stories on tax valu
tions and proposed levies.