The Brinkley argus., 1912-05-31

chsses of all public service corporations doing business in this State as will en- able the commission to ascertain fair and equitable basis of assessing same and Hf making and recommending proper Legislation to the Legislature from time to time. and to direct the local assess ing officers in assessing such proper ties.
 z. To require individuals. firms and corporations to furnish information con- corning their capital. funded or other debts. current assets and liabilities value or property, gross and net earnings. operating and other expenses. taxes and other charges and sush other facts as may be needful and desirable to en- able the commission to ascertain the value and relative burdens of taxation borne by all kinds of property in the State.
 &. To cause the depositions of wit nesses residing within without the State, or absent therefrom. to be taken upon notice to the interested parties in like manner as dispositions are taken in civil actions pending in the circuit or chaneery court in any matter which the commission shall have authority to investigate and determine.
 y. TO investigate the tax systems of other states and countries and to formu- late and recommend such legislation as may be deemed expedient to prevent evasion of the assessment and tax laws and to secure just and equal taxation throughout the State.
 10, To prescribe and prepare all necessary fnterrogatories and questions to be answered by taxpayers and persons or each county and the forms upon which the lists prescribed by this Act are to be made.
 II. To consult and confer with the Governor and Attorney General of the State upon the subject of taxation, ad- m1nistration of the laws relating thereto and the progress of the work of the commission. and to furnish said officers from time to time such information and assistance as they may desire.
 12. To transmit to the Governor and to each member of the General Assem- bly,. thirty days before the biennial ses- sion of the Legislature. the report of the commission covering the subject of assessments and taxation in the State together with such measures as may be formulated for the consideration of the Legislature.
 Section S2. The Arkansas Tax Com mission shall keep an accurate record of all official proceedings. It shall also impression, 'The Arkansas Tax Com mission" All processes or certificates issued by the commission shall be at tested by said seal Copies of the rec secretary and attested by the seal of the commission shall be received as evidence with the like effect as copies of other public records. The secretary of the commission shall be the custodian of the seal and records, and be au- thorized to affix the seal in all proper cases. The secretary or any member of the commission shall have the power to administer oaths in all matters con- corning the proceedings of the commits sion or its official duties.
 Section S3. The commission shall pro- vide a uniform method of keeping the tax rolls and books relating to taxation in each county of the State They shall formulate and send tho off. cer of each county all necessary forms by this Act provided, to be used in the listing. assessing. return of property, collection of taxes. Said commission or one of them shall from time to time, as often as may be necessary, visit each county in the State for the purpose of requiring the proper assessment and re- turn of property, uniform value there of. and the use of forms and system of keeping accounts provided by law or by the commission.
 Section S5. Section 12 of Act 257 of the Acts of 1909, approved May 12, 1909. shall be amended so as to read as fol- lows:
 Section 12. The Arkansas Tax Com mission as hereby created shall consti- tute State board of equalization and shall equalize the valuations and as- sessments of property throughout the State. It shall meet at the State capital on the first day of September of each year for the purpose of, equalizing the
 
 property of the State. The commis- sion, as State board of equalization may, in its discretion, sit at any other place in the State it may deem advisable, for the purpose of making investiga- tions or granting hearings relating to the work of equaliztng sshe property of the State. The session of the commission as State board Of equalization shall continue from the first day of Septen- Acc -te~ the fifteenth day of October each year. As State board of equalization the Arkansas Tax Commission shall have the following powers and shall be
 l. To hear appeals from individuals firms and corporations from the orders and judgments of the several county boards of supervisors of assessments and te grant such relief as may be deemed just and proper.
 2. They shall add to the aggregate valuation of the real property of every county which they find to be valued value in money such per cent as will bring the same to it's true, full and pro- portionate value in money.
 3. They shall deduct from the ag- gregate valuation of the real property of every county which they find to be valued above its true. full and propor- tionate value in money such per cent as will reduce the same to It's true, full and proportionate value in money.
 4. If they find that the valuation of the real property of any town or dis trict in any county or of the real prop erty of any county not in towns, should be raised or reduced without raising or reducing the other real property in such county or without raising or reducing it in the same ratio. they may add to or take from the valuation of any one or more of such towns. or districts or of the property not in towns, such per cent as they believe will raise or reduce the same to its true. full and propor- tionate value in money.
 5. They shall add to the aggregate erty in any county, district or town which they believe to be valued below it's true. full and proportionate value in money such per cent as will raise the same to its true, full and proportionate value thereof.
 6. They shall take from the aggre- gate valuation of any class of personal town which they find to be valued above the true, full and proportionate value thereof, such per cent as will re- duce the same to its true. full and pro- portionate value.
 7 Should the commission find it nec- essary, in equalizing the assessment of the State. to raise in the aggregate personal property in any town. district or county. as provided in paragraphs 2. g. A. 5, and of this section and should it also find that the individual assessments of such town, district, or county are not capitalized and that by such raise in the aggregate of valua- tions such given per cent the assess town, district or county. as the case may be, Is increased to a point where the same is above the true. full and proportionate value in money of the