Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-06-22


the last session of the legislature is
perfectly constitutional and the only
thing for local assessors and boards of
revied to do about il is to go ahead
and enforce il.
This is the essential substance of a
voIuminous statement issued by the
state tax commission yesterday morn
ing. The statement was prepared as
information to the assessors and local
officers who have in great numbers
written TO the tax commission regard
ing the new law and its enforcement.
Some OF them even went so far as to
question whether or not they ought to
attempt to apply the law. Parts of the
tatement are as follows:
This circular is written for the pur-
LOse Of explaining the general feat
ures OF the law so far as they seem to
require explanation, and TO aid assess
ing officers in the administration there
OF. and with the view also OF answer
ing so far as practicable the inquiries
above mentioned. Inasmuch as the
act i'm question deals directly with the
private relations OF mOTtgagors and
mortgages some discussion of ques-
tons affecting their rights viii be I'M
ay0ldable. in so far as such questions
relate TO or affect assessing officers in
their performance OF their duties, al
though IL is not the province of the
commission TO advise private individu-
ais upon matters affecting their per
sOnal rights and obligations.
What Mortgages Affected. -e
Under the statutes in force prior
to the enactment of said chapter SIS,
mortgages held by banks, trust COM
panies. insurance companies and vari-
Gus other associations or corporations
assessed by state board of assess
ment or taxed by license fee or other
special method in lieu Of direct taxa
ton upon a valuation made by local
assessors. were not liable to assess
ment by town, city and village assess
Ors. AS to all mortgages which we're
thus or otherwise exempt from direct
assessment and taxation, the law has
not been changed, but such mortgages
continue TO be exempt as heretofore.
Under present laws the properties
Of railroad, express, sleeping car,
freight line and equipment companies
are required to be assessed by a state
board Of assessment, and are not liable
To assessment by local officers. Such
state assessment. however, covers only
such property OF the companies named
as is used in the business Of such
companies respectively. Such OF their
real estate as is not so used is subject
to assessment by local officers under
the general assessment laws; and
mortgages upon such last mentioned
real estate are subject to the special
method provided in the new law, pro-
vided.-Of course. that the mortgages
themselves are not excluded.
Under present laws. street railway,
telegraph and telephone companies,
I'fe and fire insurance companies, trust
companies and some other organiza-
tions are taxed by license fee or other
special method in lieu OF direct taxa
ton under the general assessment
laws. AS TO some OF such companies
the exemption from taxation by local
assessment under general laws, by rea-
son Of such special method. extends to
all their property. AS TO others, such
exemption extends to part OF their
property only. In cases where the real
estate Is thus exempt, mortgages
thereon are not subject TO the special
method of assessment provided by the
new act Of 1908; but IL any such real
estate is not so exempt such special
method Of assessment is applicable to
mortgages thereon. - provided OF
course that the mortgages themselves
are not exempt.
I'm addition 20 exemptions on account
OF some special method OF taxation
mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
there are various other exemptions of
realestate from taxation. These ex-
emptiOns are so well known that the
laws granting them need not be re
ferred to in this connection. As to an
mortgages upon exempt lands the
special method OF assessment pre-
scribed by the act OF 1903 dos not ap-.
ply. It could not apply without de-
stroying the exemption in part at least.
The last clause OF gectiOn was evil
IDENTIFY designed e prevent s h result
as well as to declare the re in the
case stated i'm this paragraph.
There is a class of mortgages not
liable TO taxation under former laws.
which become subject to assessment
under the special method provided by
said chapter 37S. Thee are mortgages
held by non-residents Of the state on
lands within the state liable to taxa
ton under the general g assessment
laws. Under former laws. such mort
ga~es We're deemed TO be and could
ne considered as personal y property
only. and as such were taxable only in
the district I'm this state when owned