Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1912-12-12
ARE YOUR TAXES LESS?

| lost sight of: Uniformity, Equality
and Enforcement.
l. There must be a uniform system
of records and accounting in all the
counties in the state.
! 2. There must be equality in the as
sessment Of all classes of property, so
that each class be made to bear it's just
proportion of the burden of taxation.
3. There must be authority to en-
force the law.
The question of taxation is one Of the
most important questions before the
people. No other subject of SO great
Importance to every citizen Of the
state is SO little understood as this
question. Unfortunately, it has been
made football in politics." Politi-
cal parties have promised reform and
relief along this line, but instead Of
lettering conditions they have often
made them worse.
We believe that the revenue laws,
like the tariff, should be administered
under the direction and supervision of
non-partisan commission, having au-
thority to enforce the law, and quail
fled to recommend such changes in the
law as may be needed or deemed prop
per from time to time.
In recommending a tax commission,
we are not advocating any new or I'M
tried theory. The older and most pro.
gressive states in the union have made
advancement along this line, and would
now refuse to return to the old system.
The people Of this state will next No
vember elect 81 assessors. These assess
ors may all be men without experience
and may never have given the impor-
tant quetion of taxation an hour 3
study. Think of it. What private cor
poratiOn or interest could expect to
remain in business if it turned the
most important branch of it's business
over to new and inexperienced men ev-
cry two years without due control and
supervision.
We find that property with rare ex-
ceptions, is not valued at it's full cash
value as provided by law and much
taxable property is not assessed at all.
We find the greatest inequality in
the assessment of personal property.
There appears to be no special effort
made by any assessor in the state to
get personal property on the roll The
violation Of law as regards this class of
property is SO fragrant and common
that the average taxpayer has no con-
scientious scruples in concealing such
property from the assessor or even COM
hitting perjury in subscribing to the
affidavit in his assessment list. The
failure to administer this oath is be-
coming so common that in some coun-
ties only small percentage of person
al property which is being assessed
appears to be decreasing from year to
year, and intangible property, such as
money and credits, is generally not
taxed at all.
We realize that the creation of a
tax commission alone will not solve the
problem. We believe, however, that
an efficient commission would pay it's
expenses many times over for years to
come in placing new property on the
rolls, and would bring results of great
est benefit to the state in recommend
ing changes in existing laws and in the
enforcement of the law.
The fragrant violation Of our tax
laws has resulted in a Generalization
of our entire revenue system. The
laws should be enforced, not disrc
garded. As long as our plain stat -,
requiring that all taxable property BE-
valued at its full cash value, is inten.
tionally and generally disregarded by
our taxing Officers, there is no limit to
to the injustice that may be done. 1t
is evident that the failure of the as.
SCISSOR to list all property .b,,cct to
taxation imposes an unjust bardca
upon the taxpayer whose property is
listed, and an attempt to equalize .,y
class of property when al of that class