The Yale expositor., 1911-03-09

House relative TO taxation systems
and methods which is of vast inter-
est. The commission makes the fol
lowing recommendations
That the advalorem system remain
as now.
That the powers and duties of the
commission be clearly defined.
That the commission be given the
power to employ needed assistants TO
revise the assessments throughout the
state.
That the assessments against pub
lie utility corporations be placed in
the hands OF the commission and be
revised each year instead of each
five years as now.
That personal property be brought
clearly within the supervision of the
state tax commission.
The entire trend of lax legislation
in the present session of the legisa-
ture is toward the raising of the as
sessed valuation of those properties
which are not now assessed at full
value and the consequent reduction of
the average rate Railroad property
is now assessed at practically cash
value while the balance of the prop
erty of the state is assessed at but
GO per cent Of cash value. Moreover,
much OF the farm property of Michi-
gan is assessed at but from 20 10 40
per cent of cash value.
The average rate Of taxation in
Michigan is now $40 per $1,000 of as
sessed valuation. In Wisconsin il is
but between 81 and s12 per $1,000.
The railroads are assessed at $212,-
100000. If the average rate were re-
duced % per cent the railroads would
save $l,060,000 Ter year in actual
taxes paid. If the assessed valuation
of farm property were raised 25 per
cent and the average rate were re-
duced 25 per cent the farmer would
pay ca per cent less in actual taxes
than now. If the farm property were
raised 31H per cent in assessed val
uation and the average rate were re-
duced % per cent. the farmer would
pay the same taxes as now.
These provisions are made in the
Lord bill which has passed the House
and now goes over into the Senate.
Rep. Stewart of Kent has intro
duced the administration bill provid-
ing for a central board of control
over all penal institutions. corrective
and asylums, and the doing away
with the separate boards now govern
ing. His bill creates a board of three
men at $4,000 each a year with Sec
rotary at $4,000, all of whom are to
| give their full time to the interests
of the state and make at least month
! ly visits TO each institution.
Rep. Perry of Osceola proposes in
| accordance with the recommendation
of the governor to have the liquor
| business in Michigan investigated by
a commission appointed for that pur-
! pose in the expectation that care
| full report upon all sides of the ques-
! ton may lead to a better understand
| ing of what legislation is most
needed. He has therefore introduced
a bill providing for such a commits,
sion.
Req. Young of Mecosta wants to
see those companies which returned
from the Spanish war i'll paid in full
Tor their period of sickness. He has
! therefore introduced a bill providing
! that those who have not received full
payment under the original act shall
be paid Many of these companies
did receive pay in full while others
received only pro rata. II is in the
J interest of the latter that his bill is
introduced.
Rep. Averill of Kent has introduced
a bill which he believes is to cure
Mhe difficulties arising over the pay
IL - Nv bn 1fr,i IN n
les and the tonnage tax idea. His
bill provides that the state tax com
| mission shall have every means and
every power TO place the valuation
upon the mines and when once this
commits sion has made an assessment
the board of supervisors 10 powerless
to change IT,
Eorticulturists all over the state
are interested in the proposed bill to
provide for the appointment of coun
| ty inspectors whose duties it will be
to 90 about fmong the orchards, or
der the spraying or cutting down OF
diseased trees and give advice on
pruning and cultivating. Rep. Sam
Odell is chairman of the committee
on horticulture and is taking an &C
tive interest in such measures.
Rep. Glasner has an idea for fixing
up the bills providing for state FIRE
marshal in order to~make his work
more effective and less expensive. He
plans to place the work under the
labor department and to have the fac
tory inspectors and deputy labor com
missioners make the investigations
necessary for the successful working
of the department.
Governor Osborn has made the fol
lowing appointments: T. G.. Steven
son of Ionia for member of the sol
diers' home board, TO succeed George
c Wetherbee of Detroit, and +. II
I'oote of Grand Rapids to succeed
himself.
Senator Conley of the twenty-firs
district has introduced his first bill
II provides that the state board o
health and the governor shall have
power to at any time call out thu
militia to enforce quarantine.