The log cabin Democrat., 1911-08-29
EQUALIzFRS TO
MEET MONDAY
VACANCY YET UNTITLED
PERSONAL BOOK WILL NOT BE
READY FOR BOARD ON
FIRST DAY.

On account of change in the law
by the last legislature, the Faulkner
county board of equalization will meet
at the courthouse next Monday, Sep
tember a, for the purpose of going
over the assessments of real and per-
sonal property and putting them on
an equal basis. The members of the
board appointed in this county are
Judge w. B. Wilson of Conway. DR.,
}. B. Mum of Vilonia and DR.. A. E.
Moore of Enders, but DR.. Moore mas
notified the governor that he cannot
serve and this vacancy has not vet
been filled.
Assessor w. N. Jones said TODAY it
would be impossible for him to have
the personal assessment book complet-
ed IN time for the meeting of the
board. Unaware of the fact that the
time of meeting had been changed
Mr.. Jones delayed his work for about
a week awaiting the arrival of the
personal tax book, in order that Coun-
ty Clerk j. H. Bailey could make UP
the latter at the same time. Mr.. Jones
says, however, he will have the per-
sonal book ready early in the week,
and in the meantime the board of
equalization can be at work on the
real estate assessment.
For number of years no change
in the assessments has been made by
the boards of equalization, which have
been simply holding a short meeting
and adopting resolutions declaring
the assessors value to be approx
mately correct. 1t is generally be-
lieved, however, that this years board
will make thorough investigation OF
the assessments and many changes in
the values made by the taxpayers and
assessor are thought to be likely.
The change in the law relating to
equalization boards was not contained
in the Turner-Jaco bill, but was a
special act which was passed with ihe
emergency clause attached. The sal
ary of the board is increased from Sc
to $4 day, and the time of it's ses-
sions heightened so as to extend from
the first Monday in September to the
fourth Wednesday in October.
| The Arkansas tax commission yes
terday mailed to the equalization
boards of the various counties in the
state statement calling their atlen-
tion to their duties and offering sug-
gestions as to what is necessary for
the equalization of taxes in their Sc
spective counties. 1t calls attention
to the law, which provides that all
property should be assessed at it's full
value, at the same time citing the
constitutional rule requiring uniform
ity in taxation in counties where as
sessment is made up so per cent val
uation. 1t admits that it is not pra"t-
icable this year to assess property on
other than so per cent basis, and
that it could be legally done this
year under the Turner-J acobson bill
should it be held to be in force. The
commission believes that under an as
sessment on so per cent basis the
property owner would pay all the AK
es expected of him.
The commission states that the real
estate assessments in every county
"are in shameful condition." End
that there is nothing in these assess
ments that remotely resembles equali-
ty and uniformity"
Equalization of assessment is urc.
ed upon the equalization boards. Per-
sonal property, it says, is assessed but
little better than real estate. "Much
personal property is not taxed at all" )"
is says, while practically all real es-
state is taxed some." The boards of
equalization are asked to make an
honest, painstaking effort to get all
the property on the books at an ;al-
lied valuation.
The commission states that banks
should be assessed on a basis of so
per cent of the aggregate value of
their capital stock, surplus and undi-
vided profit. 1t also calls the atten-
ton of the boards to assessment of
merchandise, which, it says, is assess
ed much below so per cent of it's
value. 1t insists that credits cannot
be taken in the assessment for goods
that are not paid for. 1t also calls
attention to the omission of assess
ments of moneys, notes, accounts and
credits, and also to the inequality of
assessments of some manufactures of
lumber