Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-03
WANTS TO MEET ASSESSORS
Real Estate Exchange Desires to Give Out
Some Pointers.
PRELIMINARY TO COUNTY ASSESSMENT
Prominent Mehabers of the Exchange
suggest way Of Securing Equit-
able Taxation for county
and state Purposes.

Estate exchange endorse the suggestion OF
The Bee that that organization take some
action TO impress upon the county assessors
Of the different precincts the Importance
Of revising the assessment rolls this year
and OF equalizing the assessments between
real and personal property.
IL the suggestion Of one OF two Of the
members is acted upon. there will be q
meeting Of the assessors with the exchange
before the work of these county representa-
tives begins, and at this meeting the as
SCISSORS will be told what is expected OF
them by the exchange and the most glaring
faults OF their predecessors will be shown
as an illustration Of what the exchange OBJ
jects to In the way Of assessments. Some
expressions Of MEMBERS Of the exchange are
here given:
John 8. Knox. Vice President Of the Ex-
change think that the position Of The
Bee is well taken. I think that the assess
ments should be equalised. and for that pur-
pose l would request each assessor Of the
county to meet with the exchange on some
day between now and the time they start to
work. At that meeting 1 would show the
assessors what has been done in the way
of assessments in some Of the precincts,
particularly in the matter Of corporation
assessments, and ! would discuss the ques-
ton especially with those assessors who
have hat class Of property within their
districts. We would then be certain that
the assessors know where the trouble lies
and hat they could not plead ignorance
should they desire to do so. / believe that
the assessors desire to do the right thing
and no one man is responsible for the pres
emit condition. The work Of assessing is
difficult and the assessors should have as
sistance and encouragement. When the
matter is called directly to their attention
we may look for better things.
County Assessment Negotiable.
H. W. shriver, Secretary OF the Exchange
Il think the matter should be taken up.
We had a committee appointed to look into
the comparative standing and records of the
| various assessors nominated last fall, but /
remember no report having been made. A
/ understand It, there Is relatively as much
discrimination In the state and county as
sessments between real and personal prop
erty as there 10 In the city assessments.
Tn assessments which are too low should
be raised and the whole matter equalized.
l do not know how this is going to be done,
but some way should be devised.
George H. Payne-I certainly believe that
the exchange should take the matter up.
We could have a meeting with the assessors
and it would probably do much good. 1t
certainly could do no harm.
d. ". Sholes-I believe that matter should
be attended to on election day and none
but competent and honest men chosen to
the Office. People q plead ignorance az
to the character Of assessors, as the district
from which they are elected is SO small
that a man can easily learn the kind OF
men that have been nominated. II we cleo,
good assessors there would be no reason for
~instructing them in their duties. The pres
ent assessors may all be honest and compe-
tent men, but II would do no harm to meeI
and talk matters over. =
H. T. Ciarke-The great trouble is thai
assessors are considered by some corpora
lions and some individuals, too, as articles
Of commerce. Some may command a good
price and some give themselves away for q
song. l have known such cases. Every
man is at heart a tax dodger. He cannoI
hide his real estate, and many who pa,
large sums as tax upon real estate, know.
ing that they are paying more than the,
shoul under a Just system Of taxation, be.
lleve that they are only recovering some o.
their own money when they pay too littl,
upon their personal property. Others, own,
ing no real estate, see the figures and say
that In proportion their personal propert,
should be assessed at a certain amount
and so the unjust assessment is continued
What we need is a set Of assessors who vii
disregard previous assessments and US,
their own judgment.