Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-27
How to List Personal Property for Tax
alton A Communication from Auditor
MatthcwBf 49, '

|
How to List Personal Property for Tax
alton = A Communication from Auditor
MatthcwBf -
EDIToRs DAILY Pass Genttement Owing
to the number and variety of questions pro-
pounded to me daily, as to the proper mode
Of listing personal property, and in order to
facilitate proper enlistment as far as possible,
desire again to occupy space in your col
umns to effect this object. Perhaps the most
proper way Of doing this viii be to analyze
| the statement which ID placed in the hands
Of every taxpayer, and, rs far as possible,
explain its application. But before doing
this, IT will be as well to call attention TO the
fact that the law contemplates that every
person should make a sworn statement--many
are in the habit of simply signing their names
to the statement, and leaving it to be called
| for by the assessor-this is not sufficient; it
must be sworn to either before the assessor,
the Auditor or some one competent to admin
| lister an oath.
| Persons residing in one to1cnship and doing
business in another township, must list per-
sonal property separately in each townships
but persons living in one wdrd of Cincinnati
Township and doing business in another
,odrd, may list it all together. The statement
furnished to each taxpayer contains fifteen
items, the firstsix ofwhich, including the num-
ber and value of horses, cattle, mules, sheep,
hogs, &C., needs no explanation; but the sew
enth item is that which interests every house
| holder,.as it includes furniture of all kinds.
plate, chinaware, jewelry, books, &c. and is
| that from which it is proper to make the ex-
emption Of fifty dollars, to which every tax
payer is entitled. 1t also interests the farmer,
| as it includes all farming implements, graiu
and agricultural products of every kind and,
in fact, it includes every description of per-
sonal property not included in other portions
| Of the statement. The articles enumerated
| and embraced in this seventh item must be
listed at their VdLue in money, but not at O
price which they would bring at auction or a
| forced sale. ...-.... ..
The farmer need not list his gro,cing crops
but must list the crops on hand matured
| But if the householder or the farmer may,
for any reason, object to taking an oath as to
| the value of the articles enumerated in this
| and the preceding items, he may exhibit
them to the assessor, and make oath as to the
number of the articles exhibited, without
swearing as to their value, and then it be-
comes the duty of the assessor to affix the
value, but the number must be sporR. to, or
| penalty of fifty per cent. attaches. The
eighth and ninth items of the statement need
no explanation, only that the party can not
| exhibit them to the assessor and require him
| to aiiix value, as in the previous items, but
the value must be sworn to.
The tenth item of the statement is very i'm
| portant, as it affects every merchant. This
| item requires the "monthly average value of
| goods and merchandise owned or held during
the year, or part thereof, ending on the day
preceding the second Monday of April, ls6O.h
| The proper manner Of responding to this
item is as follows: Take the amount of goods
| on hand April 10, 1859, and add thereto the
amount of goods purchased either with cash
| or on credit during each month of the year.
and also the profits on sales made during the
| year, April 10, 1860 and from the amount de-
| duct the total amount of sales made during
the year which remained, OF being divided by
| twelve, (if the party has been so long engaged
in business,) and the result will be the
''monthly average value" in the terms of the
law. But if the party should not have been
engaged in business during the whole year,
as in case of the pork merchant, whose bus-
| ness is included within five or seven months
| then the average is obtained by dividing the
| remainder by five or seven, as the case may
| be. An impression seems to be on the minds
of some that deductions of debts may be made
| from this item but wish it distinctly under
stood that this is not allowed. And it may
be that the person may be merely the agent
| of one who is nonresident which would
not alter the case
The eleventh item of the statement refers
| to the manufacturer, who is defined by the
law TO be one who holds personal property of
any description for the purpose of adding to
the value thereof by any process of man
utacturing, refining, rectifying, or by the
combination of different materials with O
view to profit. This item requires a state
ment of the monthly average of "all articles
| purchased, received, or otherwise held for the
purpose of being used, in whole or part, in
| any process of manufacturing on the day
| preceding the I'd Monday of April, 1861
This amount is arrived at in precisely the
| same manner as in the case of the merchant
| taking the amount of stock on hand April 10,
1859, adding thereto the amount of rd,o ma
teriaL purchased during each month of the
year, and also profits on sales made during
the year ending April 10, 1860, then deduct
| ing amount of sales made during same time
the remainder divided by twelve. (if the par
ties should have been so long in business,
will show the monthly average" in the
terms of the law. .s. 4LhgA
The twelfth item of the statement requires
listing of all monies, whether in possession
or ON deposit, subject to draft on demand or
deposited with banks in this State, or with
banks or other persons not within this State,
&c. The short period intervening between
i the time of the adjournment of the Legisla-
ture, and the time fixed by law in which to
list personal property, being inadequate to
wrote to the Auditor of State to put me in
early possession of all changes that might
have been made in the law by the Legisla-
ture, in order that this important branch Oi
the public service might be fully met. ] re-
ceived in reply that no changes had been OF
would be made, and that the form of last
year would be followed. In the form of last
year find an exception in this item of all
monies deposited with banks in this State
mot subject to the provisions of this act
which should not have been included in the
present statement-but as all the banks o
this State are now subjectto the provisions oi
the act, the exception is of no force whatever
and | only mention it here for the reason
that my attention has been repeatedly called
toit.
The thirteenth item includes the "value Of
all credits, after deducting therefrom bona
fde debts" Ir former article, fully ex-
planned the legal definition of the terms ''de-
bits" and credits" but will say that every
credit for sum certain, payable either in
money, property of any kind, labor or service
must be valued at the full price of the sum SO
payable For instance, A. may hold the notes
of B. for "sum certain" having three, four
or five years to run, (either with interest ol
without) they must be listed at the full prio,
Of the sum so payable, t,s.s,- -rs
The fourteenth item includes value O
monies invested in bonds or stocks of the
United States This "value" must be the
market Udlue on the 10th day of April, 1860
The fifteenth and last item includes al
stocks and bonds of every kind whatever
excepting stock of railroads, insurance com