The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-08-02
POOR PEOPLE
PAY OKLA.
CITY TAXES
Property Of the Wealthy As
sesssd RldlcuIousIy Low,
Board Discovers
Special to the Daily Leader.

Special to the Daily Leader
Oklahoma City. Okla, Aug. Gov
lernor Cruce and other members u
1.-THE state board of tax equalization
made startling discoveries in an auto
mobile tour Of the city to look al
property which they suspected har
not been assessed properly. The
board examined about 800 pieces oi
Ipropyrtg
According to Leo Meyer, state
lauditor, and member of the board
the investigating committee found
gross discrimination In certain as
sessments.
The committee learned that many
pieces of residence property consid-
|ered to be worth from $40, 900 to so0,.
600 he'd been assessed for less than
$4,000,
Residence property recently sold
by r. e. Stafford. editor of the Daily
'Oklahoman, disposed Of for cash
consideration OF $4,000 was found to
have been assessed for less than ST.
500.
In many instances of the business
district property it was ascertained
that the assessment had been made
on a basis of about 30 per cent.
1t was found that the assessment
of common property was made on a
fair basis, but that property of high
er class was comparatively far too
low.
More Trouble Arises
A new question. which is likely to
cause an unlimited amount of trou-
BILE for the board, was raised by r.
E. Blake, an FL Reno attorney, who
asked for hearing from the board on
the raising of individual assessments.
claiming that under the wording Of
the law an individual whose taxes
were raised as result OF the raises
made by the state board bad his only
recourse In an appeal from this board
to the supreme court, and must pre-
sent all of the matters before the
board which he expected to have con-
sidered OH the appeal. He was sec
)nded in the matter by F. l.. Boypton
Of Kingfisher.
The position taken by the board all
along was that when it raised the as
sessment Cf any county in a lump
sum, it was up to the county com
nissioners to apportion the amount
IF that raise, and that the indiyi-
lnals who fell aggrieyed should tell
heir troubles to the county board. |
rhe disposition OF the board there
ore was at first 10 fiEclaim jurisdic-
ion and refuse to hear Blake. AFTER
lie and Boynton had presented their
ase. however, Attorney General West
moved that each of them be given ten
ays to present a written petition for
elief. with affidavits in support of 1t.
Governor Grace opposed the motion,
tating that II they were given this
rivilege every other individual in
he state who felt aggrieyed should
e given thu same time 10 make com
laint Attorney General West then
lade his motion general, and it was
assed In that form, opening the way
)r objections that may be offered h
ON any part OF the state.
The board had agreed earlier in
le afternoon 10 hear a protesting
elegation from Lincoln county, in /
uding merchants from every town
the county. who were objecting to !
le raise OF rs per cent on town lots =
nd t25 per cent on mercantile stocks :
Id under this ruling was compelled =
give them practically unlimited
me to present their objections,
hich took up the remainder OF the :