The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-04-27

guided by that which find through my
inspections, and | have to apply this on
the whole town.
This is the way all the personal proper
ty is treated in my calculations and
think this example explains to you fully
that il is poor policy not to assess all the
property in the district. This very same
plan is followed by me in regard to valua-
tions. so you see what is folly here is folly
there, and the only way you have to pre-
tect your town against injustice in the
county apportionment is an assessment
of all property and its true value. Some
of you may still have the wrong idea,
that you can hold down the county or
state taxes by low assessment, but the
quicker you abandon this idea the better
it will be. The Tax Commission makes
the apportionment for each county, and
pays no attention to your figures, nor can
do so as long as you insist on making
assessments not in compliance with law,
and if your town in one year should pay
more state and county taxes than its due
share, nobody is to blame but yourself.
There is another thing wish to impress
upon your mind. At the last convention
of the Supervisors of Assessment in
Madison, all supervisors were earnestly
instructed to enforce the laws and ifneed-
ed make complaint to the tax commission
in order to obtain re-assessment of such
districts where the assessors insisted on
making too low, fraudulent and unjust as
ments as the Iron River Test case was de-
cided by the Supreme court and the law
empowering the tax commission to order
an reassessment was held constitutional,
but sincerely hope that will not have
to make another request for re-assess-
ment. it rests with you to save districts
these costs.
The first problem that confronts you in the
performance of your duties is to find basis
lOI VdludblOA. IAC NdluC VI lCdl CSLd IC dHu
especially of land is always a matter of opin-
ion. The price that can be obtained for a
parcel of real property is determined by the
individual judgement of the buyer as to its
present actual or possible earning power, or
its future earning capacity, Prices actually
received are guide to value but are not con-
elusive, The law does not contemplate, nor
does justice require that the assessment of
any piece of real estate can be based OIL un-
usual conditions. One piece may be sold
very cheap because of an immediate necess-
ity. a similer parcel adjoining may bring
high price because of special desire for It,;
yet the actual market value might be exactly
the same as would be seen if both the new
owners sold their parcels under ordinary con-
ditions AS in former years prepared for
each of you a list of real estate sales in your
resp. districts as a guide. 1 do not advocate
that you shall in every instance take the con-
sderation stated as the true market value.
Wheuerer you find sales made under abnor.
NAL conditions, or that personal property,
the value of which you cannot determine.
was included in the sales. eliminate them:
but you must use the sales made under nor
NAL conditions and where the true consider
alton is given as such sales represent the
only true market value and consequently
the only sound and just basis for valuation
Last year found again that the timbered
lands were greatly undervalued. In one dis
trict found this class of real estate assessed
at 22.34 per cent of it's true value. Lands
having high location value, the lake 'front.'
age on our inland lakes and the most i'm
proved farms were also proportionately too
| low assessed, and must insist that you bring
this class of property up to its true value. 1t
| is the poor settler who has only log house
| and barn and small clearing, that has to
pay taxes for the owners of the timber lands
and for his better situated neighbors if you
adhere to such practice. If you value real
estate always find first the selling or market
value of the land without the improvements,
then find at what price this land will sell for
With the improvements. the difference be-
tween these two figures will give you the true
value of the improvements. Never go ahead
and value the improvements and add this to
value of the land, you will in the most cases
arrive at wrong figures. The improvements
on farm land as well as on town and city
lots are not worth more nor less then the
amount for which they increase the selling
or market value of the land or lot regardless
of what it may cost to reproduce them.
| Personal property must be assessed on the
first day of May, and to the owner thereof
except when it is charge or possession of an.
other person. See Section 1O44 Statutes 1895
as amended by chapter 229 laws of 1903 and
Section l. chapter sos laws of 1905. Be careful
to ascertain ownership. otherwise it may hap.
pen that the taxes cannot be collected, In
cases where the owner is non resident of
this state and You are in doubt to which par.
ty the property should be assessed apply to
me for advice, and will see to it that the
property will go on the roll as it should
Closing wish to remind you that always
will be ready to assist you where difficulties
may arise. My aim is to bring the assess
ments in Bayfield, County as near to perfect
ion as possible, to our mutual benefit. and
with this point in view let us start new sea
son of earnest and faithful work, true to our
oathof office.
| The Young Peoples Society ol