The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-08-14
BOARD SCORED
In PETITION
COPY SENT TO COMMISSIONERS
BY IDAHO TAX COM
MISSION.
YOluminOus Record Filed at Boise
Allege Unjust Discrimination
Again Timber Companies.

| A copy of the petition and complaint
which the Potlatch Lumber company
filed with the state tax commission
on August IL was received late last
evening by Homer e. Estes, clerk OF
the board of county commissioners
just before his departure for Boise to
appear before the state board OF
equalization. The complaint prays
that "the laws of the state of Idaho
be enforced by the state tax commits
sion in the matter of the assessment
and equalization of timber holdings of
the Potlatch Lumber company" and
that the order of the county board of
eqalization raising the assessed valu-
alton of the holdings of the Potlatch
Lumber company be set aside and an
nulled.
Complaint VOluminOus.
The complaint is a voluminous do
cument including "a distinct sections
each of which sets forth a different
ground for protest 1t alleges that
provisions of the 1913 session laws of
Idaho have been violated by both the
county assessor and the county board
of equalization in the matter of as
sessing and equalizating the assess
ments of the holdings of the Potlatch
Lumber company and that this COM
pany's assessments were increased
40 to so per cent above an already un-
just levy which amounted to no less
than from 100 to 267 cents on the dol
lar.
Was Discrimination.
The complaint further, in unmodified
equalization of having Disseminated
against the Potlatch Lumber company
and other corporations holding timber
ed lands in Latah county and declares
that "the assessment was not based on
the value of the property but that it
was the individual, firm or corpora
tion owning such property that was
assessed" Continuing it declares
that the classification of lands in
Latah county has been outrageously
juggled" and that "if the county
board of equalization made any pre-
tense of complying with the require
ments of Sec 56 of the 1913 session
laws relating to the equalization of
such pretense was feeble
and wholly Intellectual toward securing
the equality of assessment which the
law contemplates.'
The Potlatch company will further
to prove to the state board of
equalization that the county board
has continually favored the holders of
agricultural lands at the expense of
the timber holders and that the agri-
cultural lands throughout the entire
are not assessed at anything
near their full valuation, the assess
ment on vast amount of farm lands
falling as low at from 25 to rs per cent
Of their cash value.
Laws Disregarded
A number of minor allegations re-
at1ng to the methOdS OF procedure
Of the assessor and the county board of
equalization are laid in the complaint
declaring that the session laws have
been disregarded in many instances
and that the equalization of the as
sessment rolls has been made In a
laphaZard manner.
But the county board appears un-
worried They have the facts, they
say, that will speak for themselves
and they predict but little difficulty
n meeting the protests of the lumber
men. Three days have been set aside
oy the state board of equalization for
hearings but it is not |
Known whether any other than the |
ootlatch company will appear from |
Iatah county