The Forrest City times., 1909-06-11
.,s.ssors Ralk on Actual Values.


tbe county assessor of of the state
:, helm IT, But they have not hit
anon a uniform percentage basis OF
-..ossmenf When the state tax com
..issioners. al the convention here,
,,sisted as first principle that the
.ssessor must follow the law literally
tho assessors asked for a recess, held
eacret sess sion. agreed TO go home
and do The best they could and then
went home without the formality of
-aconyeuue with the commission.
Governor BoHashey and Representa-
five D. 4. Bfadham of Bradley coun-
- addressed the joint meeting. as did
also David 4 Gates. one of the COM
missioner and others. Morning and
afternoon LESSONS were held and the
rev Law was discussed from all its
vewpoin.a s. bat not a single action
was taken that brings the assessors
and The con missioners any nearer to-
1 gptber in carrying out the provisions
Of the ar. The secret session of the
assessor came late in the afternoon
A yote on assessing property at its
full yalue was taken, but failed to
carry. oa'v one or two. it was report
cd voting IN favor of the motion. A
notion O have all property assessed
at 81 per cent of its true value lost
Is to - The secret session then
adiourue1 and he assessors left for
their homes. The assessors had pre-
Yously -48ested five minutes recess
for the purpose of holding the Sc
eret session The recess, however,
developed into an adjournment. as
neither ne commission nor assessors
teassemtied after the executive ses-
sion
The assessors listened to the speech
es made By Governor Donaghey, Mr..
Bradham and Mr.. Gates of the com
mission Following the latter's speech
a storm Of protest broke out against
The plan 20 assess property at its
full yalu" From all parts of the
meeting came queries regarding that
pan ard objections TO it. Until that
tine the attitude OF the assessors was
In doubt None had spoken and the
majority remained quiet during the
speeehmakrg, but when questions
and protests began 10 rain about Nr.
Gate head at the close of his speech,
there Wa ne longer much doubt as
10 what lie assessors thought of the
plan Tie result of the secret session
YES aua1 pated Assessors expressed
themselves as being DESTROYS to do all
possible .oward securing more reye-
nae ana toward getting all property
Oh he tax book on the same basis
O. as~assment. but baked when It
cam 70 assessing property at its full
value. unless the tax rates were firsl
reduced
TEe commission hammered on the
rCInt that III law demands II 1t prop
erJ shall be assessed at its full value
and That 20 assess property on any
lass iower than 100 per cent IS
Ho'a ia OF the law. The assessors
2nsWe q hat such assessments WoGld
hfiHe Il far too much revenue and
mcfe han IS needed and ~; such an
asses Heat could not be afforded by
toe average taxpayer. The assessors
a-se e4atended that if they did assess
pofa~E at us full value the coE:.
his ipa would not have he power to
tA lqweg bass of assessment in TIC
17ll Mr.. Gates contended directly
eLAsafy, that he commission would
hive hat power and c9E5ended that
u ~eFd propoEtionate' in tie aoI
allowing the commission to fix the
ass ments in proportienate value u
Tire dlffer.2, counties, gave tse com
ms on ,ee Lower to lower he basis
q essG.ert.
a. er It = as learned that the asses
sers had adjourned without agreeing
te sess property at its full value The
commissioners decided that tltoy
Ne1|d wait until the assessors re-
e. Of assessment are made out in
iae tall 2kd then act on those reports.
If We think an assessor has no Is
- "a property in his county high
enough VIC will raise it. We will sIt
Is g state board OF equalization and
adlNst lhe situation then. raising d
.ltEe.ing as We see fit was the state
Ae4' q the commission,
Tie commissioners emphasized the
po!a hat the assessors have much 10
do With the future success of the
Nv system. However it was alp
brought o0I that the commission could
9a'se Tie basis of assessment. wheth.
q me assessors chose TO do so OR
hol by increasing the assessment of
each county in the fall. The com
psion asked during the meeting,
ma the property be assessed at its
iGu value and offered then 10 adjust
The situation later, when it could be
cehnitely ascertained what percentage
basis OF assessment woulds fill all
needs of revenue.