The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-03-01
IT'S A GOOD BILL.
Speaker Simmons Gives Out Interview
Concerning Tax Measure.

| In an Interview given out by Speaker
| Simmons relative to the tax bill pass
Led by the house last night he says:
THE assessment and taxation law
| that has passed the house and which
| the senate will undoubtedly pass rep
resents the most modern thought ana
the result of the most careful consul
Grafton of the taxation question ana IN
my opinion will be a very satisfactory
law and the one that the legislature OF
1907 will regard with pride longer than
any other law they pass this session.
Other questions have been more gem
orally discussed and there has been
more fireworks over them but this is
one of the most vital Importance as L
THE bill was originally drawn by
Mr.. Davidson of Wichita and while
there were some senate amendments
they were not vital to the bill ana
very probably were an advantage.
1.-The main features of the bill are
the creation of the state tax commits
sion consisting of three members to be
appointed by the governor. 1t Is my
belief that it is an advantage to nave
the board appointed as they are direct
ly responsible to the governor who is
doubly, interested in seeing that they
perform their whole duty. This board
takes the place of the state board OF
railroad assessors and the state board
Of equalization but 1t has much more
power than both of these boards to-
gether had. 1t is made the general
DUTY OF This DOarQ 10 see InaI the law
is rigidly enforced and they are given
the authority to investigate all kinds
of property and If it has not been as
sessed to have it placed on the as
sessment rolls and to institute proceed
ings to prosecute officers for failure to
do their duties and to punish taxpay-
ers for false statements, etc. This
board being a state board is Tar re-
moved from local influence. They are
also empowered to investigate the tax
laws of other cities so that in the 1u-
ture our tax law may be made better
as experience directs.
1.-The board is to be organized in
July but has nothing to do with the
coming assessment.
THE actual assessment will be very
like it is at the present time except
that there is county assessor ap-
pointed by the board of county COM
missioners with per diem OF So in the
smaller counties and a salary from
$500 to $1,000 in the larger counties.
The county assessors duties is to act
under the direction of the state board
of tax commissioners and the township
trustees in each township are the ac-
tive assessors at the present time but
the county assessor is charged with
the duty of seeing that all property is
assessed and that it is assessed at It's
full value and if he fails in any par
ority to make the proper corrections
as we'll as to punish him for his fail
ure to do his duty.
THE general idea of the bill is to
leave the present laws of assessment
and taxation pretty much alone but to
put an active board in charge of them
to see that they are carried out.
II think considerable credit is due
alton of the house of which Mr.. Kirt-
land of Saline is chairman as well as
the authors and supper tiers of the bill
in the house and senateSs 8a