The Calumet news., 1910-07-22
TAX COMMISSION
NOT ON OUTING
PRESIDENT HoYT OF ADJUSTING
BODY CLAIMS MEMBERS ARE
HARD AT WoRK--soME
TAXING TALK

The three down-state members OF
the Michigan state Tax commission
arrived I'm Houghton yesterday, a 1T
tle ahead of their scheduled ime'
coming by train instead of by boat
as had been expected, and were greet
ed upon their arrival here by Robert
II. Shields, the upper Michigan MEM
her Of the tax adjusting board. The
members of the board are President
william II. Hoyt of Plymouth, James
II. Thompson of Lansing and Mr.
Shields. George Lord Of Detroit sec
retarv of the commission, also came
| with the other members.
Yesterday afternoon the commission
went TO Keweenaw county, as the
guests of c. A. Wright, the Hancock
banker. returning to Houghton last
night. They will remain in this DIS
trict until Sunday and will then go TO
the iron country. While here they VIII
make general survey of the taXaple
nroperty i'm the district and VIII also
lexamine the books of some of the ass
essors of the various towns ana TOWN.
ships. This examination, however
will be only superficial and VIII De
made with a view to determining the
,,ornar in which the work is beine
done.
Not a Pleasure Trip
.1f onvone thinks this commission Is
ont on a pleasure jaunt," SAID Fresi-
dent Hoyt to the reporters. when ne
learned that some local people regard
ed the visit of the commission in th'
!; lioht Of summers outing, he Is
sadly mistaken. I have worked marc
: all nv life but never so hard as TINS
summer for this commission ana al
sure the other members of the com
mission are also trying to earn thel
salaries" Mr.. Hoyt seemed greau
Z vexed that anyone should sugges
that the members of the tax comnils
> sion are abroad on pleasure bent.
Il Mr.. Hoyt talked interestingly apou
the tax situation in the state III
main tonic being the lowness or IN
! figures set by the assessors in all par'
\ of the state. He says the commlssio
is carving on a sort of educatPh'
\ camnaign in connection with its oth'
duties. seeking to educate the assess
ors TO raise the amount of their az
sessments against nearly all the proi
critics ON their books, rather than ilh'
Of ing it necessary to raise the rate
saws that this raising of the tax IA
Of to secure larger sums of money is vel
Id ant TO work harm to the public scipu
le interest fund, as the railroads ana OF
fit or public service corporations VINO
d. taxes 90 into this fund are now
e. iecting seriously 70 the high tax IA
lie and that these objections may leau
a court action such as might termina
r to the disadvantage of the scho
e. funds.
ed Lower Rates
he President Hoyt says that 1t WoO
OF no much more wise if the local a
It's SCISSORS i'm various districts througho
sic the state would raise the amount
toxes assessed against all propert
TO as near as possible their cash val
alton. In this way the same anlo'
of money could be raised ana the -
~ would be lower. The corporations
rtv iect to the raising of the rate prlil
mo pally. rather than to the paying out
Of the larger amount of money. corp
cl, ations last year paid at the rate
ort s1s.O2. while this year the hgure
law. s2O.e7 and it is this visible diftere
for that excites these corporations
we'd makes them act.
When asked about the story Una
large amount of mortgages IN nam
had not been listed for taxation
Hovt replied that the commission
lot, found il necessary TO make the ass
row or of Hancock put these securities
- the tax rolls. when the matter
on been brought to the attention OF
commission. He stated that this i
example of the purpose OF the
tyre commission and say it is just
uto- things as this that make 1t wise
we're the state of Michigan to nave
lcas. commission.
laVs -