Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-08

the correct assessment of property in
this State for the purposes of taxation,
is in our view a measure thorOughgOing
and practical, consulting to a remarkable
degree the necessary and just claims of
the State and the rights of individuals.
The bill provides for a commission in
each county of the State. to be known
as ga Board for the Equalization of
Property for Purposes of Taxation. "
This board is to consist of six members,
save in counties which have or may
have three members of the Legislature,
in which the board shall consist of eight
members. They shall be chosen from
different sections of their respective
counties, and each shall be freeholder.
They shall be nominated by the grand
juries and be appointed by the Judges
of the Superior Courts at the term fol
lowing the passage of the act The first
three, or four, as the case may be, shall
hold Office for four years and the re-
mainder for two years. Vacancies by
death or resignation shall be filed by the
board. The members shall receive per
diem the same as and payable as that of
grand jurors while in actual attendance
upon the meetings of the board. Each
member shall subscribe to an oath to
perform the duties of his office. The
board shall meet at the court
houses of their respective counties
on the first Monday in May, June and
July of each year. for the purpose of
reviewing and correcting the tax lists,
and shall meet from day to day until
their work is completed. They shall
elect chairman at their first meeting
Four members, including the chairman,
shall constitute quorum. In the alb
sence of the chairman a chairman pro
tempore shall be chosen.
The tax lists, which it shall be the du-
ty of the Receiver of Tax Returns to pre-
sent to the board, properly filed out and
sworn to by the taxpayer, provide for
the return of the following property or
sources of income, viz: The number of
acres of improved lands, with their lOca-
ton and value, of which one is the own
er or holder in whatever capacity; the
number of acres of wild lands, with 10
cation and value; city or town lots with
improvements and value; unimproved
city or town lots, and value; number and
value of shares in bank, of which one is
President; capital in bank, of which one
is President, as sinking or surplus
fund, and not represented in the value of
shares; property, real or personal, owned
by a bank, of which one is President,
not used in the banking business, and its
value; amount of capital invested in
loans by building or loan associations,
of which one is President; amount of
money on hand; notes or other obliga-
tons for money and their value; value
of merchandise of all kinds on hand
capital invested in shipping and tonnage;
capital invested in stocks of companies
other than those that are required to be
returned by the Presidents or
agents to the Tax Receiver
or the Comptroller General
capital invested in bonds, except bonds
of the United States and State bonds
exempt by law from taxation; capital
invested in the manufacture OF cotton or
wooden fabrics, in iron works, fOundries,
machine shops, or mining by companies,
of which one is President; value of
household furniture, including table
ware, kitchen furniture, Office furniture,
pianos, organs, library, pictures, statuary,
gold and silver or other watches, gold
and sllverware, diamonds, jewelry; the
number and value of horses, mules,
asses, cattle, sheep, goats and hogs,
vehicles of every description, agricultu-
raj implements, tools and machinery,
cotton, corn and other farm products on
hand or for sale, guns, pistols. bowie
knives, ETC., sewing machines and all
other property not enumerated in the list.
The bill provides for ample notice of
the Tax Receivers visit, and sufficient
time for the making out of the returns
These returns shall be submitted to
the board, who shall examine them care
fully, and, if taxpayer shall be found
TO have undervalued his property, the
board shall afix proper corrections to
the return. and the Tax Receiver shall
notify the taxpayer of the corrections,
who, if sggrieved, shall be permitted to
appear before the board, who, if they
shall find that they were in error, shall
correct the same, as shall appear to them
to be Just and true. The board shall act
| in a similar manner towards property
returned by the agent of a nonresident
The board shall be empowered to fix
the value Of property of defaulters-
they shall double the value so
fixed, and the Tax Receiver
shall notify the defaulters, who shall
have the privilege of making oath to a
true return to be submitted to the APP
prOval of the board. But should said
defaulters fail to appear, the value fixed
by the board shall stand as the return
of the property. True and full value
as used by the act shall be held to mean
the usual selling price in the county
where the property is located when the
return is made, being what it would
bring at private sale, and not at a forced
sale or auction. The tax returns approved
and corrected by the board shall be en-
tered by the Tax Receiver on the digest,
and be deposited with the Ordinary
along with the county digest, and shall
be kept sealed by him till the next tax
returns are completed. Said lists shall
only be given to the board, or the grand
jury, when demanded. The board shall