The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-22
TAX BILL IS A GO
House and Senate Committees
Reach Agreement.
County Assessor Plan Is Finally
Agreed Upon.
THREE MEN ON BOARD.
These will Comprise the State
Tax Commission.
Are to Receive Salaries of 50, 500
Year Each.
MEN ON BOARD.

1t was voted by the house of repre-
sentatives this morning that the house
would compromise with the senate on
the tax bill, and accept the county as
SCISSOR plan, while the senate recedes
/ from the demand that the state board
of railroads assessors be retained in ex-
istence.
This means that the legislature OF
! 1907 will rass an assessment and taxa
! ton law which legislatures for the
! past 20 years have been trying in VAIN
i to pass
Under the compromise bill the law
| will be more strict and radical than the
i original house bill. The vital feature or
the house bill was to take the assess
| ment OF railroad property and equan-
cation of assessments out OF pohtlcsS;
| by the adjustment of the state boar q
| of railroad assessors and state boar q
| of equalization, both of which, as at
present constituted, are political in their
nature. The Waggener bill passed py
! the senate, retained the railroad board-
Since the senate has offered to recede
from this portion of their Dill, there
was no serious obstacle in the way OF
compromise.
Under the compromise bill a state
tax commission of three is to be ap-
pointed by the governor within ten Gays
after the passage of the act, ana De-
fore the adjournment of the legislature
if practicable The term of ONCE Tor
the commissioners shall be four years
quarters at the state house and they
shall devote their entire time to their
duties. They shall receive $4,000 year
each. The commission after e!ectlng
chairman, may appoint the following
employees: Secretary, $1,000; two CLERKS
$500 each; and such other experts and
assistants as may be required.
Committee Asked Instructions.
The matter was brought before the
house in an informal manner this
and C. L. Davidson of Sedgwick, both
of whom were members of the confer
ence committee on the bill Mr.. Kirt-
land said:
''The committee has had two sessions
and the senate conferees have agreed
to waive the provision of their bill call
ing for the retention of the railroad as
SCISSORS, provided the house will accept
the county assessor plan. I move that
it be the sense of this house that the
conferees of the house accept the SEN
ate proposition"
Of the house bill was the adjustment
of the state board of railroad assessors
and state board of equalization. The
county assessor plan was left out or our
bill because We believed it to be too
radical a change to undertake at this
time. I believe that the county asses
sor plan strengthens the bill, and will
give better administration of tax laws
than we ever had" --f
Mr.. Brandon said that in his opinion
the house conferees should insist that
the township trustees be. the deputy
assessors under the new law.
THAT is just what we want" said
Mr.. Kirkland.
Mr.. Kirtland's motion carried with
out opposition.
What the Commission Can Do.
The following are the powers of the
commission as set forth in the house
bill which will be incorporated in the
compromise bill.
Cd To have and exercise general
supervision over the administration of
the assessment and tax laws OF the
state, over the township and city as
SCISSORS, boards of county commission
ers, county boards of equalization, and
all other boards of levy and assess
ment to the end that all assessments
of property, real, personal, and mixed,
be made relatively just and uniform
and at it's true and full cash market
value; to require all township and city
assessors, county commissioners, and
county boards of equalization, under
penalty of forfeiture and removal
from office such assessors or
boards. to assess all property of every
kind and character at its actual and
full cash market value.
CD To confer with, advise and d.
rect assessors. boards of commission
ers, boards of equalization and others
obligated under the law to make levies
and assessments, as to their duties I'M
der the statutes of the state.
CD To direct proceedings, actions
and prosecutions to be instituted to
enforce the laws relating to the pen
alties liabilities and punishment of
agents of corporations for failure or
neglect to comply with orders of the
commission. or with the provisions of
the statutes governing the return, as
sessment and taxation of property;
and to cause complaints to be made
against township and city assessors,
county commissioners. county boards
of equalization, or other assessing or
taxing officers in the courts of proper
jurisdiction for their removal from Of
flee for official misconduct or neglect
of duty.
ca To require the attorney gener-
al, or county attorneys in their respec-
tive counties, to assist in the COM
mencement and prosecution of actions |
and proceedings for penalties, forfeit
ures removals and punishments for |
violations of the laws of the state In |
respect to the assessment and taxation |
of property, or to represent the COM
mission in any litigation in which it |
may become involved In the discharge |
of its duties.
CD To require township. city, |
county, state or other public officers to |
report information as to the assesSme |
of property, collection of taxes. re-
ceipts from licenses and other sources, |
the expenditure of public funds for ali |
purposes. and such other information |
as may be needful or desira BILE in the |
work of the commission in such form |
and upon such blanks as the commits |
sion may prescribe. Also, to make and |
prosecute such research and investiga-
ton as to the detailed properties of |
corporations, the business income |
reasonable expenditures and true val
ueS OF the franchise and properties of |
all public service corporations doing /
business in this state, as will enable
the commission to ascertain a fair and |
equitable basis of assessing the same |
and of making and recommending |
proper legislation to the Iepislatnre