The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-03
A REVISED TAX LAW.
Valuable Work by Chamber of
Commerce Committee.
LEGISLATIVE NEEDS OUTLINED.
Meeting Of King County Members-Men
Bound for Olympia Talk Of
the Session.

Last night the legislative delegation OF King
county held session with the special legislative
committee OF the Chamber of Commerce. The
chamber was represented by Dir. John +. Aver,
who presided, Mr.. Andrew Knox and Mr.. T. A.
Twieheli. OF the members of the legislature
there were present Senator Trusten p. Dyer and
Representatives Z. s. Meany, c. w. Lawton,
George Z. de steiguer, Charles A. Reitze, A. /.
Adams and J. C. Thalman, while Representative
p: Z. Berry, OF Douglas county, attended by in
vitation.
The first business was the going over of the
tax law, which the committee b completely
revised This revision was largely the work OF
Mr.. TwichelI, whose experience in the county
auditors Office had given him q complete
The law as revised omits taxes on mortgages
and other like forms OF credit which are not
actual property. The committee holds that to
tax realty and tax the mortgage In nothing but
imposing double tax.
1t is furthermore proposed that all assess
ments, city and county, be made BY one asses
scr and collected by one treasurer-that OF the
county. who shall pay the proper quota over to
the city treasurer. Thus the vexation of paying
different taxes at different places is done away
all taxes Provision is also made that no deed
shall be received until the certificate that all
the taxes are paid is filed.
The state board OF equalization is to hold ses-
sion three weeks instead of two. No county is
to have its assessment raised until five days no.
tce is given the chairman OF the county COM
m1sEloners. Also the state board shall not
change the assessment itself of any county, for
that requires a complete revision of the rolls, d
process taking much time; but the rate of tax
for the county shall be altered that the effect
shall be the same as III the assessment were
changed. The state board shall make no change
In the county rate, which is to be fixed by the
county commissioners, but shall merely fix the
state rate for each county, and this shall be
added to the county rate.
Personal and real property are to be taxed
separately.
Taxes are to become delinquent on March
instead OF January /, as now. The assessment
books are TO be filed November /, and the man
then holding the property is liable Tor the taxes,
instead OF the man owning the property April /.
There were good many more minor changes
made In the existing laws by this revision, but
the principal ones have been enumerated.
After the tax law had been discussed the fol-
lowing measures were recommended for the
support OF the delegation:
A mechanics lien law, which Mr.. Aver is hav-
ing drawn, modelled after that OF Illinois
A law providing for the correction of defects
in special assessments.
An appropriation for the building OF O peni-
Tertiary on this side OF the mountains.
change in the constitution whereby the
limit OF the state debt, instead CO being 100000,
shall be per cent of the grand list
law for exemptions from attachment.
A law subiecting to attachment certain forms
OF community prOperty