The chief sources of revenue are taxes on realty, personalty and corporations, a poll-tax, and licences.
The city's tax valuation in 1907 was $1,313,471,556 (in 1822, $42,140,200; in 1850, $180,000,500), of which only $242,606,856 represented personalty; although in the judgment of the city board of trade such property cannot by any possibility be inferior in value to realty.
The assessed valuation of realty and personalty for 1920-I was $777,500,000.
Louis took the equivalent of 25% of the assessed value of the city's realty and personalty.
The constitution requires that a voter must (in addition to other qualifications) either be able to show conclusively ability to read and write, or be the owner of property within the state assessed at not less than $300, on which, if personalty, all taxes are paid.