Ogden Standard-Examiner | 1920-06-04 | Page 7 | Valuation of State Better than Estimate

; VALUATION OF SUITE BETTER THSNESTIITE Returns From Few Counties Not in But Not Materially Affect Result The assessed valuation of Utah this year will bo approximately $706,500,-000, $706,500,-000, according to examination mado by the state board of equalization of returns by county assessors. Last voar the valuation wan somewhat over $629,000,000. -While the increase 19 far from being up to the estimated assessed valuation on which the legislature leg-islature of 1919 based its revenue, calculations cal-culations and corresponding appropriations, appropri-ations, It Is over the estimates mado over tho past few months by members of the board. Roughly, It amounts to something: like 2 per cent. All Returns Not In. Roturns have not been received from Carbon, Duchesne, Millard, Piute Pi-ute and San Juan counties and the figures arc subject to revision as tho total was reached by taking the returns re-turns from ihe assessors of nil counties coun-ties but the above and adding to them the totals on which these counties paid taxes a year ago. To this aggregate ag-gregate was added the total assessed valuation of property within the Jurisdiction Ju-risdiction qf the state board of equalization, equali-zation, $188,634,115. Jicvisctl Downward. During the equalization process the state board's figures will Inevitably be revised downward. The county assessor's as-sessor's figures may also be lowered by the county boards, but will be subject sub-ject to such blnnket raises by classifications classi-fications as the state board may later impose. The total of $706,431,004 as the present assessed valuation of the state Is not expected by the board to undergo material change. Xo Cluinge Jn Kate. Members of the state board have already announced that thoy do not see how tho tax rato can be changed, with such an ajscssed valuation. On the basis of $706,00,000 total In tho state, the revenue to tho stato from tho five-mill state and state school tnxes will bo $3,632,500. This, In ac- jcordanco with tho present lovles, will bo divided as follows; :Stato school fund $1,695,600 ; Stato high school fund 141.300 Stato genoral fund 1,220.832 i University of Utah : 305,893 Utah Agricultural college... 3 3 4.549 Branch Agricultural collego 84,326 Total $3,632,500 It has frequently been asserted by stato officials that the estimated revenue reve-nue of $1,200,000 not. Ib not sufficient for tho state genoral fund, and It falls far below the $2,000,000 permitted by tho stato legislature of 1919. It Is also far below tho estimated amount necessary neces-sary to bo derived for that fund from the ad valorom property tax If tho state Is to finish tho prcsont blennlum without a deficit considerably larger than that of four years ago, which was frequently roforred to In lltora-turo lltora-turo of that day as a "legacy.'1