The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-01-26
VERY FEW CHANGES PROBABLE
In Spite Of increased Valuations
the Companies Pay Less
This Year.
State Tax Commission and state Board
OF Assessors File voluminous
Reports with the Govern
or-Car Shortage.

Lansing, Men,, Jan. &I.--FrOn now
until Feb. Is the state board OF as.
SCISSORS will be In practically contin-
uous session as boarn !. of review
hearing appeals from its'tihtaJlve as
sessment Of the railroad properties of
the state for the current year. The
law provides that this assessment shall
be completed by Jan Is. and compa-
MES be given n chance to be heard
during the ensuing thirty days While
some changss In the assessments may
be made as q rgult OF these hearings,
n Is believed that the assessments as
annooncci this week win nof be ap-
probably uttered. lf 1919
The board has fixed the total as
scsscd valuation OF the rnifvad prop
critics Of Michigan at s21o.288,O0O.
This rs an Increase of S7.Ti500p over
the aggregate OF one year ago. The
largest increase made IL that IN case
OF the Pcre Maruucttn company. Most
Of the balance OF the aggregate In
crease made Is charged MP against the
Michigan Central, Lake Shore &
Michigan Southern. Minneapolis, 81.
Paul a Sault Sta Marie and Chicago
q Northwestern EN
Will Pay $4,000 Less.
Notwithstanding this increased vah
uation the companies viii pay this
year nearly $685. less In taxes rhan
last years valuation This DECREASE
is due 10 the decrease In the aggregate
tnx levied for all purposes In the state
ana the consequent DECREASE IN the
average tax rate OF the state Last
year this average rate was $17.4O per
$1,000 OF assessed valuation This
year 10 win be only s16.47 per 1900.
The law provides that tho railroad
companies shall pay the average rate.
The aggregate tax paid by abe COM
panies last year was 1857 900. On
the basis or this weeks assessment II
will be s3.463.o00. The decrease in
the aggregate tax levied for all pur-
poses in the state this year is due In
large measure 20 the unusually
large sum apportioned to the school
districts OF the state last fall conse-
qucnt upon the payment OF back taxes
by railroad companies. This placed
such unusually large sums available
for the payment OF teachers salaries
In school district treasures that 10
materially reduced the current levy
for this purpose.
Rcportcs Are Submitted.
During the past week the state tax
commission and state board OF as-
sessors tthe personnel OF the two
boards being the samel filed their an
nual IMPORTS with the governor. These
reports are voluminous documents and
contain much interesting and valuable
information. An important recon-
incubation made by the board Is that
the law be so amended as 20 give II
jurisdiction over complaints made by
nonresident taxpayers, the present
statute MS interpreted by the attorney
general combining such jurisdiction 70
complaints of resident taxpayers In
writing II has for years been motor.
ious TINT nonresident taxpayers have
been almost universally grossly dis
eliminated against in the matter OF
assessment yet the law gives them no
right Of appeal 10 the state commits
sion even after relief sought IA denied
by local boards OF review. The board
cites "a an illustration Of the injustice
OF this provision the fact that corn.
plaint was properly made of the as
scssmcnt Of certain platfsd lots In n
township adjoining ccrtnin city and
separated tlerefrom only by high
way. The complainants owned prop
erty on each side OF this highway.
Expensive Litigation.
Those on the township aide were
assessed az nearly 100 per cent more
than those on the city side. and In
vestlgation showed the latter 10 be
assessed substantially az the law d.
roots. Tho complainants were. OF
course, residents OF the city. Inas-
much ns tho hoard had mo jurisdiction
over tho complaints OF noDresidents.
the latter were forced 20 ssek their
remedy through expensive litigation.
The hoard insists that tho law should
bring within its remedial powers all
properties OF tho same class reynrylless
OF the owner or owners.
Another effect Of the law which
does not extend this jurisdiction OF
the board over nonresident prop
critics In 90 place q premium on Illegal
and unjust assessments. The report
declares that an investigation ~ mn
entire assessment district during the
summer OF 1905 showed, largely upon
the testimony Of resident land owners
and the assessing officer himself that
resident properties were assessed at
sS per cent Of their cash value. while
nonresident properties were assessed
Mt from 80 70 i25 per cent, tho average
for the entire township being los per
cent.
Another great dlficnlty experienced
by the board IN SIS attempts % eQual-