The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-07-31
TAX CONFERENCE IN LONG SESSION
 AT PRESCOTT


 sessed Valuation in the State,
 Maricopa is Second and YavapaI
 Third.
 With over seventy-fve of the States most representative men in attendance, the annual tax confer ence on Monday opened for a weeks session in Prescott. Good hearty Icatch-as-catch-can Arizonan fellow ship and spirit featured the early morning hours of the important meeting, but after the noon recess the conference settled down to a weeks steady and hard grind for the work ahead
 Equalization of taxes is the in- centive which brings about the an- commission meets jointly with the boards of supervisors, clerks, asses sors of the fourteen counties snd the representatives of the divers big enterprises and corporations. Mon day afternoon commenced this important work and in turn during the next five days will be arranged the abstracts of the divers county Assessment rolls and subjected to a close scrutiny not only by the mem- bers of the state tax commission but by the members of the conference as well. In this way, the state board will glean some idea of the work it has before it when the an- nual equalization session is held at Phoenix
 The scope of the conference is far reaching and it's effect is con- ceded to be upon a par in import system It lies within the jurisdic- tion of the state board to equalize taxes on similar properties in divers counties as it sees fit, but the con ference leaves absolutely no room open for criticism. At this session will be permitted the voice of every man in the state interested in taxes. Every county in the state must be and is represented. The men vested with the power to levy taxes are Icompelled by law to 5e pFesent a1 the conference is regarded as a meeting place of the states repre- sentative men, many of whom are connected with large enterprises themselves and who have the in- terests of their county and state at heart.
 In alphabetical order, the divers counties will present their assess ment abstracts for the inspection of the conference. Apache county was yesterday completed and the after noon session concluded with the Cochise roll before the conference. Yavapai county is thirteenth on the list.
 Interesting figures were offered by Secretary Jesse Boyce showing the valuations of the different counties as prepared by their boards of sup ervisors. Cochise still holds it's un- disputed claim to fiDst place with a total valuation of $93, ,435, ,9S5.46 while Maricopa county is secsnd with $75, ,951 ,205.35. Yavapai county is third with $43,11S, ,323.53. So great is the difference in valuations between these three counties and so great is the lead 4avapai has over the next county in order that it is conceded that nothing short of the discovery of half dozen gold mines in any of the counties other than Cochise will mean new leader in valuation figures in years to come.
 The total valuation as prepared for the inspection of the state board and conference is $404, ,36O 1875 or an increase over the preceding year of nearly $29,000,00O.
 Last year in the equalization of taxes by the state board as a direct result of the state conference, the assessment figures were raised $6.- 000,000 over the figures as prepared by the divers counties. Whether or. not there will be an increase over the valuation already prepared is a matter open to conjecture
 While the inspection of the differ ent assessment rolls represents the main business before the conference, still an important feature is the ser ies of hearings which will be given various corporations and heavy tax payers throughout the state. The Santa Fe has already requested a hearing and it is probable that this will be set for this evening. The conference is scheduled to be in seS- sion just one ewek, and unless night sessions are called for the different hearings, the business may not be concluded within the requisite time-