The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-29
PROPERTY ESCAPES TAXATION

| erman, Mcberly, No.
| PROPERTY ESCAPES TAXATION
| Board OF County Commissioners In
vites Z Hing OF Complaints.
Yesterday J. E. Howard, chairman Of
| the board of county commissioners, gave
out the following statement:
Eminent statesmen advocate publicity
of all business matters and accounts OF
| corporations and trusts, as a cure Of the
abuses complained Of by the people. Per-
haps a more general understanding of the
| law governing assessments and Letter
mination on the part Of the peoples ser
wants TO enforce the law Will DO good
along the line OF a just and fair assess
uent Of property. The board is willing 10
meet all citizens and taxpayers 10 near
! complaints regarding wrongful assess
ments Of every kind, and ask for infor-
nation from whatever source it may
come, as TO property e-caping taxation
| Nouce has been given that the board
meets the first Monday in June as board
! Of equalization and that it will continue
/ in session for ten days, or until all com
! plants are heard. During that time the
( board will take uD any complaints that
may be brought before ii as TO property
I escaping taxation. 1t cannot be expected
| that the board of county commissioners or
/ county clerk can know personally the
| financial standing OF but few of the YAK
payers of Sedgwick county and 3e.ieve
| that It is the duty Of all citizeHs to re-
port to the board for their action, all
known violations Of the assessment laws.
Your communications viii be held conf
/ Dental We publish below the law IN
/ der which the board win act, 10 the end
that greater publicity be given the mat
! ter:
Vol II. Kansas statute of 1897. page SIS.
| section 81: THE county clerk, or board
of county commissioners. if he or they
| shall have reason to believe that any per
son, company or corporation has given
| to the assessor a false statement or has
| given no statement whatever Of his per-
| sonal property, money, credits, invest
ments in bonds, stocks, joint stock com
/ panies, corporations or otherwise. and
that the assessor has not returned the
| fun amount required to be listed in his
/ city or township or has omitted any per-
sonal property, moneys, credits, invest
ments in bonds. stocks, joint stock COM
panies, corporations or otherwise, or has
undervalued the same, which are by law
subject to taxation, shall proceed at any
time before the final settlement win the
| county treasurer to correct the returns
of the assessor, and to charge such per-
son, company or corporation on the tax
roll with the proper amount of taxes; TO
frL, r7a ~
clerk is hereby authorized and empower
/ ed to issue compulsory process, and re-
quire the attendance of any person or
persons whom he may suppose to have
/ the value of such articles of personal
/ property, moneys, credits, investments in
bonds, stocks, joint stock companies, cor
porations or otherwise, and examine such
! person or persons on oath or affirmation
/ in relation to the statement or returns.
And it shall be the duty of the said
clerk, in all such cases, to give at least
five DAYS notice to such person, company
or corporation by the sheriff leaving a
copy of the notice with the person, if ne
resides in the country; and If the person
/ does not reside in the country, then by
putting copy OF said notice in the post
office. properly directed to said person,
and if company or corporation, by leav-
ing a copy Of the notice at the nearest
and usual place Of business Of said com
pany or corporation before entering the
said increased valuation on the tax roll,
that the said person, company OF corp7r-
alton may have an opportunity Of show
/ ing that the statement or returns to the
! assessor was correct And If any person
who may be summoned 20 appear before
! the clerk for examination as provided in
this section shall wilfully fail to appear,
or appearing. shall refuse 70 answer any
question or questions propounded to him
concerning the subject Of such examina-
! ton. such person shall be deemed guilty
( of misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof before a court OF competent juTis-
diction shall be fined in a sum not ex-
/ ceeding so. and by imprisonment in the
county jail not exceeding ninety days 0;
by both such fine and Imprisonment. And
the county clerk shall n all such cases
file in his office a statement OF the facts
or evidence on which he made the cor
rection, but he shall in no case reduce
the amount returned the assessor"
section IS. In any investigation or ex-
animation which the county clerk OF
board Of county commissioners are author
ized and directed 10 make, 1t shall be
the duty Of the county attorney 10 ap-
pear and examine witnesses. or in any
other manner aid in correcting my false
or fraudulent return Of any person. com
pauv or corporation listing his or theiE
property FOR taxation"
Hom;,o,nd hvfhe Pr9sidcat