The Detroit times., 1914-06-15
CASH BASIS OF
ASSESSING TO
RULE in YEAR
-BARNEs.
Tax Commissioner Says System
win be General in Michigan
Very Soon
POINTS TO WORK ALREADY
DONE BY ORGANIZATION
Supervisors Themselves Have
Fallen in With Spirit of State
Laws, He Says

LANSING, Mich, June l5.-(Spe-
cial)--within one scar, the entire
state OF Michigan will be assessed for
taxation on a cash valuation basis.
This was the declaration here to-
day OF o. +. Barnes, one OF the three
state tax commissioners, who pointed
out that 10 counties already have
been appraised by the commission on
the cash valuation basis and that
work looking toward the same end is
now progressing in the remaining
counties. ~ change 10 the cash
basis is being accomplished by the
commissioners by strict supervision
OF the assessment made by county IL
pervisors the state over
The early shift TO a cash valuation
basis was made possible. Commits
sioner Barnes stated, by action OF the
last Legislature which passed legisla-
ton greatly increasing the powers Of
the tax commission.
The counties which already have
been appraised by the commission
are: Charleyoix, Gogebic. Iron, Ba-
raga, Marquette, Dickinson, Bay, Sag
NAV, Genesee, Allegan, lngham, Oak
land. Van Buren,. Kalamazoo, Cal,
boun. Jackson, Berrien, Grand Ira
verse and Iosco.
The last legislature. recognizing
that the supervisors we're sworn 10
assess at cash values, greatly increas-
ed the powers and duties Of the tax
commission by passing the law which
declares that the tax commission shall
supervise and assist supervisors TO
the end that their assessments shall
be at cash value" said Commissioner
Barnes. ....
Under this law the commission
formulated a plan TO assist supervis-
ors. II placed its entire force OF ex,
aminers-50 in aIl-zat the disposal OF
the supervisors of the state-It pub.
lished a pamphlet on cash value as
sessments and in other ways assisted
the local assessing officers.
The result has far exceeded the
best hopes OF the commission. The
great majority of the supervisors en-
tered into the spirit of cash value as
sessments, and the reports which
come hourly TO the commission show
that 70 per cent OF the territory not
before reassessed by the commission
and not including Kent and Wayne
counties, has been put up to approx
mately cash value by the supervisors
themselves, In Kent county reassess-
ment Is now being made by the tax
commission, and a large force OF our.
field men has been at work in Wayne
county since last December. 1t Is
safe TO say that the new program has
pushed the time for cash values ahead
four years Another year the uneven
assessments left can be adjusted and
then cash value assessments will pre-
vail over the entire state.
wherever the supervisors have
honestly and heartily entered into the
spirit OF cash value assessments the
tax commission will not reassess
those townships, but will endeavor 10
ascertain how near cash value the
supervisors have got. The commits
sion will recommend the amounts II
thinks the supervisors differ from the
commissions idea and will ask those
townships TO be increased by the
county boards at the equalization SEES
sions This will be done on the prom
ise that the assessments the next
year shall be brought ND 10 the full
sum by the supervisors