The Detroit times., 1912-10-15
LORD DECLARES
, CORPORATIONS
PAY FULL SHARE
Quitting Office as Tax Commits
sioner, He Answers His
Critics
ASSESSMENTS ON PAR
2 WITH OTHER COUNTIES
Supervisors Meet and Adjourn
After Appointment of
Committees

lie wayne county board or super
visors began It's regular session Ia
Letroit. Monday morning, with al
most every member in attendance.
~fhe meeting will continue for about
Is days. Today's session began at
III a. m. and an adjournment was
taken shortly afterward until IL a. m.
Tuesday.
Among the reports received was
gone from George A. Lord, Wayne
county tax commissioner, which was
ono from George A. Lord. Wayne
county tax commissioner, which ONCE
vas created a year ago. Mr. Lords
statement dealt with equalization
tbles In connection with the assess
inent of the different municipalities
Of Wayne county, and II was received
.Sand ordered printed for the conven-
ience OF the committee on taxation.
In the course OF his Introduction, Mr..
Lord advised the supervisors OF his
intention OF giving up the ONCE In De-
cember. on account OF his leaving the
city. He also took occasion to give
the supervisors some idea OF the work
? he had done. saying In part:
The record of over 1000 transfers
OF real estate, together with the as
sessed valuation OF each description
aas been taken of during the year.
nearly 1900 Of which transfers have
used az basis for my computations,
showing values for equalization pur-
ssposcs. In addition to these transfers
| have made a computation abstract
OF the last report OF nearly 1000 In
otrfa In, n
county. made proper deductions
showing the assessable valuation OF
every one and also made copy OF
their ssessed value for comprison.
~tThis latter work, which did not at
first anticipate 1t would be necessary
TO do. devolved upon me because OF
the charges made by certain political
high lights" that our corporations
were notorionsly undervalued for
purposes of taxation, and because Of
conhscatory tax legisla-
tiop.
II have also gathered lot OF in
formation relating to the taxation OF
corporations and other property
located outside to say that the assess
ment OF corporate property In Wayne
county will compare favorably with
that OF any other county in the state,
except perhaps those counties that
have reeently been reviewed By the
state tax commission, and more than
favorably with the assessment OF
sin,ilar property In the counties with
in reside those who have been ready
. TO assail the assessment OF other
communities"
Mr.. Lord admits that there Is room
for improvement in the assessment
conditions In Wayne county. how:
ever. explaining:
Ignorance OF actual conditions,
combined with personal political In
,erests and prejudice. IL undoubtedly
responsible for many OF the mis-state>
I ments concerning the assessment OF
corporate property. II seems TO be
the entire capital OF certain class
of politicians To single out the cor
porations as a convenient subject for
unjust and conflscatory taxatinon,
and anyone. who dares TO take issue
with them and to plead for square
ceal for all subjects OF taxation be-
; comes the immediate subject OF ven-
emous vituperation."
Committees were appointed as fol-
lows:
Appointments = Brander, HARPER
Koenig. McCarty, Colts, Bailey,
Walsh. Lanning, Kelly and Hindle.
Claims and accounts-Theisen. Mer-
|. hit, Garvey, Heating. Gill, Vignoe,
/ Zoeller Rosenthal Buhr,. Mckinney
nd Deimel
Taxes--Keating, Riopelle, Knapp,
Tossy. Field, Skrzycki. George,
BRYAN, Mason, Merritt and O'Brien.
Drains-Bower, Lanning. Bradner,
(irindley, Stellwagen, Thompson,
Crowley, Bailey, Miller, Near and
Colts.
Equalization Burton, Crowley,
Colts. Grindley, Lanning. Lodge, Mil
Ter. Near, Ostrowski. Owen, Theisen.
Fred c. Fischer, OF BelleviIle. was
appointed school commissioner to
succeed VIM. c. Harris, OF Highland
Park.