The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-10-17
REPORT OF STATE TAX COMMITS
SION is FILED.
Recommendations For Changes in
Our Tax System Are Made in
Report to Governor.

State tax commission to supercede
executive council in equalization of
taxes, assessment Of corporations,
study of tax laws. ''~
Separation of local and state taxes
the former to be used all in
counties and the state revenue to
be derived from railroad and other
corporation taxes, and general state
revenues.
Change from present system of
assessing at full valuation and tax
ing on one quarter of valuation, to
taxing on full valuation of all prop
erty.
Change of taxation of bank
stocks from 80 per cent of valuation
under Thirty-fourth General Assem-
bly, law, to taxation on full valua-
ton.
Change assessment of bank sur
plus and undivided profits, placing
them under the moneys and credits
law. - 'r '-
County assessor for each county,
at salary proportionate to popula-
ton of county In Polk the salary
would be about $4,000 per annum.
County assessor to equalize
assessments as between the town.
ship assessors, who are not to be
changed under the proposed law.
Propose amendment to constitu-
ton to permit separation of local
and state taxes and assessment OF
corporations by the state.
Terminal taxes of railroads, tele-
phone and telegraph lines, express
nil
for consideration of tax commission.
The above embodies the chief re-
concentrations of the state tax COM
mission, which filed it's report with
Governor B. F. Carroll. The tax
commission, designed to be a per-
manent tax board, is to be composed
of three mem bers, to be appointed
by the governor within ten days OF
the passage of the proposed law,
terms of office to be six years. 1t
is proposed this commission shall
take over all the taxing powers and
duties of the executive council.
- The separation of state and
county taxes is designed to permit
each county to collect and expend
its own money. The idea is to do
away with the inequality of assess
ments which appear because asses
sors in some counties fix lower
assessments than in others. Thus
Polk county might pay a higher pro-
portion of the state tax than Guthrie
or Cass because of an assessor who
had higher idea of valuations.
Under the new plan the loss or gain
would apply only to the county
where the assessment is made. The
taxes for the state would then be
raised from corporations, fees, etc.,
and the state would receive no part
of the county levies as now.
The proposed change from assess
ing at full value and taxing on
twenty-five per cent of the value is
declared wrong. The commission
thinks all taxes should be assessed
This will have a tendency to cut the
leives in the counties to about one
fourth and will give the state bet
ter advertisement abroad. 1t also
simplities taxation in the judgment
of the commission. "
Bank stocks are now assessed at
so per cent of their face under a
section of the law of the last general
assembly. me commission proposes
to tax them at face value, but be-
lieves that surplus earnings and I'M
divided profits should be taxed as
moneys and credits. The present
law has a tendency to reduce bank
SURPRISES and undivided profits and
removes a protection from the pub
lie which they would enjoy. A bank
may now cut down its surplus or IN
divided profits and avoid taxation.
The proposed term OF office for
the new county assessor is four
years. This assessor is not to take
the place of the township assessor
but is to equalize taxes between
the smaller districts in much the
same manner as the executive coun-
Gil has been doing as between the
s. The Battle-SOn3S,