The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-01-07
BLACK NOT
ASKING AN
INCREASE
TINES BUREAU,
AT STATE CAPFa Al.


Indianapolis, Ind, Jan. County
assessors are holding a meeting here
and they are hot in the midst of dis
eussion of the question of whether tic
ask the Legislature to increase their
salaries. They talked over the matter
in a secret session yesterday evening
and will try again this afternoon. W.
E. Black of Lake county is here and
holds different views to some of the
officials.
Most of the assessors are in favor of
asking for the increase. but a good
many are afraid the legislature will not
give it to them. In the meeting quite
a number pointed out that the assessors
could probably get something from the
Legislature if they do not ask too much.
One matter under consideration is to
extend the terms of the present asses
sors for two years. 1t happens that the
terms of all county assessors and ali
township assessors expire two years
hence. The county assessors believe
that their terms should be extended two
years so as to make Their terms expire
in .. year when the township assessors
hold over. thus not having all of them
go out of office at the same time. Some
| of them thought that If they would ask
| the legislature to extend their terms it
would do so, because It would not be
any expense to anyone but that If they
| tackled this provision on to the tail end
of a bill to increase salaries the legis-
/ lature would defeat the whole thing.
| Another thing the county assessors
want is to have the matter of record
ing mortgage exemptions taken from
the county auditor and turned over to
| the county assessor. In this way the
| assessors would get more money, be-
/ cause there is fee for the recording
| of mortgage exemptions They think
| they can get this. too. if they do not
/ ask for a salary increase.
One of the county assessors that was
| not in favor of asking salary increa Sc
| is William f. Black, of Lake county.
| He says that while he does not get as
| much salary as he should have yet he
knew the condition when he took the
office, and that il he had not been
! willing to do the work for the price he
| should not have taken it. He says, that
if he is not satisfied he ought to quit.
| Black has the worst job of any county
| assessor in the state. because there are
| so many changes in land ownership in
| Lake county.
| The county assessors are holding a
conference with the state tax board. as
| provided by the law, and one of the
main subjects under consideration is
how to bring about uniform assess
ment of property all over the state
| Governor Marshall made an address on
this subject. He said he would recon-
| mend TO the Legislature certain amend
| ments in the tax law to help bring
labout this condition. He says, however
/ that it is a very difficult matter for a
| township or county assessor to make a
| uniform assessment at the true cash
| value of property because of the frail-
ties of human nature.
Judge Timothy f. Howard. the fathe.
of the present state tax law which
created the state tax board and the
office of county assessor by a bill
which he prepared and introduced In
the Senate in 1891 when he was a
member, made a speech before tn con
ference in which he gave a history OF
tn law. and his views on it. He saic
, that up to that time the taxing depart
J ment of the estate was in deplorabls
| condition. Since then the valuation o.
, railroad property alone has been in
creased from $4,000, 900 to more thar
5000. 100000. Power to list omitted
property should be given to the stat.
tax board, he said. and he though
there should be more power vested i,
county boards of review
One of the interesting persons at tn,
= meeting is Richard II. Genge. count.
assessor of St. Joseph county. He /
the first county assessor in the state t,
assess the franchises of public seryic
: corporations He says the corporation
fought him but he made the assess
ments stick
Franchises of public service cor
, / porations ought to be assessed" h
said They are of great value, an
/. there is no reason why the companie
| should not pay taxes on them"
II THERE ARE MORE THAN THREE