The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-01-08
NEWEST SYSTEM
GREATEST SUCCESS
COUNTY ASSESSOR TALKS OF RE-
SUITS OBTAINED IN ASSESSING
UNDER SOMER PLAN.
Held First Meeting in School District
No. A and Completed Assessing
Entire District i'm Five Hours.

| That the new plan of assessing the
county as undertaken by County AS
SCISSOR Martinson is likely to prove not
alone a success but likewise save con-
siderable money to the county is in
dicated in the holding of the first meet
ing under his plan at the school house
in school district No. A, Mr. Martin
son is enthusiastic over the results OBJ
tanned and believes that the Somer sys-
TEN of assessing will prove to be a
blessing to the entire state wherever it
is placed in use.
"A meeting of the taxpayers Of
school district No. A was called at
their school house on Burnt Ridge on
the evening of the 5th of January by
notices sent out from the assessors
the valuations of the various classes of
property, real and personal and ma
king the assessment of such property
for the ensuing year, 1914 said Theo.
E. Martinson, assessor of Latah coun
ty, today.
Meeting Was a Success.
This meeting, the first of its kind
in our county and the method of pro-
oad,,ra 70 tba ,,ronartv hnIdarc and IN
to a certain extent being new |
was a success beyond my expectations |
as every real and personal resident |
property holder in the district was
present, showing great interest and
expressing themselves very favorably
for this method of the assessment of
property The evening session was
spent in the discussion of and the fix
ing of values for the district and a
of the values of other parts
Of the county together with the consid
grafton of parts of the revenue law
and other matters pertaining to the
axation of property.
Assessed Entire District.
The next day | assessed the entire
district with the help of one clerk in.
bout five hours Each man gave in
lis property in the presence of the tax
layers of the district so that when we
we're through everybody knew what
verybody else was assessed and had :
ad a voice in the fixing Of the values
II each others property thereby equal
zing everything as we went and this
5 the only way of equalizing the as
essment for the idea of the commits
toner's equalizing the property of the I
ntire county is farce for they have :
either the time to do so under the +
resent law nor can it be done without
ding out to see the property or get
ng the concensus of opinion of the
roperty holders in the district where
lie property is located.
Cuts Down Expense.
I'VE can curtail at least a fourth
the expense of assessing the coun-
7 and have the work in better shape
" the office when it is completed i'll
lie field. We also plat and classify the
nd and fix the location and value o.
le improvements upon sectional plats
hinh hocop,o na,n,opont racord for
lie office and can be perfected from
ear to year and will cut down the
tpense and the work in taking the
'sessment the following years, thus
aking each years work count for
and aiding in the work for
e future. A system judiciously car
ed out is half of the work.
Will Hold More Meetings.
"A meeting of this kind will be held To
each school district in the county on
d | wish that every taxpayer would he
axe a complete list of all property W,
itch he owns and have what he con- de
lers fair value fixed and these ty
lues will be acted upon by the prop
" holders in the district and if too
III will be cut down and if low will
considered and dealt with as all
Ter property of its class in the dis Sc
ct. Your cooperation and presence an
these meetings is what we need to ste
ure an equitable, fair and equaliz- ~,