168 THE FISCAL PROBLEM IN MISSOURI
ers serve, however, to keep the question before the public,
and in view of the facts, which furnish strong support of the
position taken by the bankers, it is difficult to see how ade-
quate redress can be denied much longer.
Assessment of Motor Vehicles
While bank stock is relatively overvalued, the motor
vehicles that are assessed for taxation are probably under-
valued in many counties. In the previous chapter data for
the average value of motor vehicles assessed in each county
as of June 1, 1927, were presented. The average valuation
per motor vehicle for the state was $192.42. When’ the data
for St. Louis City and the counties in which Kansas City,
St. Joseph, and Springfield are located are excluded, the
average value per motor vehicle for the remainder of the
state was found to be only $139.16. Assuming a 55%, valua-
tion, the real average value would be $350 per motor vehicle
for the state as a whole and $253 excluding the city and
counties just mentioned. The average value per motor
vehicle in a number of counties as shown by the valuations
as equalized was less than $100. It is doubtful that an
average value of less than $100 can be justified for any county
of the state, even allowing for the fact that property valua-
tions are on the average much less than 1009, of true value.
The data for the average value of motor vehicles provide
many significant comparisons. For example, the average
value per motor vehicle was $204.97 for Randolph County,
$155.61 for Boone County, and $122.98 for Howard County.
These are adjacent counties. Numerous comparisons of this
kind might be made. Differences in wealth may account for
a part of the differences, but such comparisons are neverthe-
less suggestive.
Variations in Real Estate Assessments
Missouri has a large number of assessors, and the problem
of supervision is a difficult one. Since the State Tax Com-
mission was established that body has attempted to remedy
the inequalities due to lack of uniform assessment standards
by establishing a certain measure of centralized supervision
of the local assessors. An annual meeting of county assessors
