The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-03-29
!. Of the Boldest Reforms Ever
Suggested in Iowa is Pro-
posed in New spauld-
ing Bill.
kAKE ALL ASSESSMENTS
.ssure is Not Well Received by
Those Who Glanced to Get
an Early Look
At II.
ESPECIAL to The Gate City.]

Especial to Ine Gate Clty.I
DEs MONIES, March 29.-One OF
he boldest reforms ever suggested in
ava is proposed in bill just re
borted by the senate committee on
Ways and Means without hearing
md nut upon the calendar as spe-
hal order two days afterward, before
Orobably not more than dozen farnl-
prs in Iowa have read and considered
1
This is the measure to create a
kpecial tax commission to operate at
Rn annual expense of about $4,000,
10 supplant the executive council III
fxing the taxable assessments in the
ktate This measure would give the
hover of raising local assessments in
the various counties to this board.
The measure is born Of the complaint
that farm lands are not assessed
heavily enough. This measure pro-
yides for the special tax commission
having the power to go into any
county and fix land and all other per-
sonal property values for assessment
at what it believes selling values and
from their decision there is no appeal
provided by this measure.
Those fayoring the bill claim that
assessors will not fix the values high
enough because elected by the people
and that supervisors will not increase
the assessment for the same reason,
and that when the matter reaches the
executive council in Des Moines they
will moi. raise the values because In
fluenced by the same consciousness
that the people elect them and they
are the peoples servants.
This new bill by Spaulding Of Grin
nell, known as Senate File 1856, pur-
poses to create a bureau of three
men to be appointed by the governor
who shall have absolute charge oil
assessments. Each is to receive sal
ary of $4,000 per year. The bill pro
vides one shall serve until July j
1913; one for term ending July J.
1915 and the last for a term ending
July l. 1917. Two of the commission.
ers or a majority cannot be changed
for four years which provision makes
the board practically perpetual one
The commission is given authority te
hire statistician at $4,000 per year
another clerk at $1,000 per pear ant
still another at $1,000 per year. ant
is given power to employ such exper
and additional clerical assistance al
may be necessary.
Opponents to the measure say thu
taxpayers must bear the burden .
thls expensive bureau which amount
70 8 per cent on eight hundred ant
thirty-three thousand dollars, if tn
state borrowed that amount at thre'
per cent and set it aside for the SUI
port of this board.
According to the bill this commits
sion shall have the power Ito oTde
lne re.assessment of any or all rea
or personal property in any asses;
ment district in the state when in tn
Judgment of said commission sue
re-assessment is necessary to the en-
mat the property of such assessmen
district shall be assessed In compl
ance with the law Chat is up to 1t
iull cash value) such re-assessmen
may be made by the commission o
Hs representatives when deemed by
70 be advisable, This practically put
ihto the hands Of this commissio
ana Its experts the 'assessmen
. power
Under such law IL the commissio
psheVed that in any county tn
assessment was too low on live stoc'
iaha, merchandise or even furnitur
IN the house 1t could send its exper
70 make reiassessment, from whic
mere could be- no appeal as unde
'lis Dill 1t would be final. Should til
eApert put the assessment too hig
mere is no means provided whereb
ehe taxpayer may appeal to any othe
suthority. The tax ferret, under til
Jaw that has just been repealed, ne
y mad such power. All he could d
was TO report. He had no power t
assess.
me measure also gives the commi
e'oh power ito require county alto
neys to commence and prosecute a
IONS and proceedings for penaltie
io'Ieltures, removals and punisl
rents for yiolators sof the law in r
spect to the assessment and taxatio
Of Property
opponents to the measure point. o,