Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-03-20
Timber flass be Taxed.

In response TO the claim tljiit the
Commonwealth is entitled to de-
rive some revenue from the wealth
of standing timber and mineral
owned by non-residents of the
State, Hon S w Sterrett, our rep.
resentative in the Legislature, has
introduced, aud both houses have
passed, an emergency bill by which
the county of Highland, as we'll as
other sections Of Virginia, will de-
rive large revenue, hitherto lost.
The bill is an amendn g 1T to chap
ter % Of the Code, in relation to
assessing land, ETC., and is, in part,
as follows:
"The several commissioners of
the revenue Of the State shall, on
or before the 18th day Of May,
1908, and each year thereafter, spe-
cially and separately assess at tine
fair market value all mineral lands
and the improvements, fixtures and
machinery thereon, and all stand
| ing merchantable tim Der trees here
tofore or hereafter sold and con.
veyed to parties not owning the
surface within their respective dis
tricts, and shall enter the same on
the land books Of their respective
district S, p .rately from other lands
charged thereon, and shall extend
the taxes upon said lands, improve
ments, fixtures, and machinery, and
said standing merehantable timber,
trees, assessed as aforesaid at the
rate fixed by law upon tangible
property"
The missioner, in assessing
mineral lands, shall set forth upon
the land book The area and the fair
market value Thereof, first. of such
portion of each tract as is improved
and under development; second,
the fair market value of the i'm
provements, fixtures and machin-
cry upon each tract; and third, the
area and the fair market value of
such portion of each tract as shall
not be under development; and in
assessing standing merchantable
trees he shall set forth the fair
market value thereof. IF the sur.
face of the land is held by one per-
son. and the standing merchanta-
BILE timber trees. or the coal, iron
and other minerals, mineral waters,
gas or oil under the surface be
held by another persons, the estate
therein of each, and the relative
fair market value of their respec-
tive interest, shall be ascertained by
the commissioner"
The several com missioners shall,
on or before the 18th day Of May
in every year, certify copy of
such assessments made in their re.
spective districts of mineral lands
and mineral rights as aforesaid to
the State Corporation Commission.
with the name and postoffice add
dress of each person, firm or corpo-
ration in whose name any such
lands or interest therein shall have
been assessed upon the land book
of his district with the amount Of
tax extended thereon. Upon re-
ceiving the copy aforesaid the Cor
poration Commission shall examine
into the justice of any snch assess
ments, and il it shall appear to the
commission that any tract Of land,
or any part thereof, or the improve
ments, fixtures or machinery there
on, or any right or interest in the
same, or any part thereof, has not
been assessed at its fair market
value, the said commission shall di-
rect the attorney for the Common
wealth for the county or corpora
ton wherein such land or interest
therein so assessed is situated, or
any other special attorney it NAV
designate, to apply in the name oil
the commonwealth to the circuit
court of the county or corporation
court Of city to have said assess.
ment corrected. which court shall
bave jurisdiction for the purpose.
Any person feeling himself ag-
grieved by the assessment of his
timber or lands or interest there.
in hereunder may, at any time
prior to the lst of February next
succeeding, apply to the circuit
court of the county or corporation
court Of the city in which the land
lies to have said assessment correct
ed.
The bill goes into effct at once.