The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-11-06
NEGLECT MAKES
VEX|NG TANGLES
AND RAW M|XUPS
COUNTY sUPERINTENDENTs
BLAMED FOR NOT REPORT
II ING DISTRICT CHANGES 4

Oklahoma City. Nov. 6.-lNegligeni
school boards and county superintend
ents throughout the state are due
for a shakeup as the result Of en-
tanglements in the assessment and
collection OF taxes OF railroads, tele-
phone companies and other public
service corporations reported from
the wrong school districts. 1t APP
pears that for years past changes
have been made in the boundaries Of
school districts throughout the state
and in many instances never report
ed to either the state auditor or the
local taxing authorities.
A glaring instance developed when
the telephone company attempted to
pay taxes in Lincoln county for its
property in certain school district.
The check was returned by the coun-
ty assessor with the suggestion that
the property likely was located In
Logan county. 1t was sent to the
assessor in the latter county, and REL
turned with the statement that the
property probably would be found I'M
Lincoln county. Sent there the sec
ond time, there came a letter to the
state auditor saying perhaps the
property could be located In Oklaho-
ma county.
Endless "Lawing" in Prospect.
The railroads have experienced sim
liar difficulties. Several matters Of
this kind have been brought to the
attention Of the state board OF eqial-
ization. Iii one case, coming from
Pottawatomie county the board rel
fused to give consideration to a mat
ter presented by the tax ferret until
the location Of the property as to
school district was established The
ferret said he had made an examina-
tion and could find no record to show
the property to bc located in the iis4
trlct he asserted II now to be in The I
Santa Fe attorney. who was present /
said the company was willing to trans !
fer It's payments to the alleged new
district whenever the change could /
be established.
Governors Good Advice.
'iEstablish the location OF the prop
erty before you bring the matter be-
fore this board" was Governor r. =.
Williams admonition. III you do not
YOU may lay the basis for prolonged
litigation that will amount to far |,
more than the sum Of the taxes inl
volved."
State Auditor e. B. Howard, dis
this vexatious situation, said.
1T often becomes necessarw to
change the boundaries Of school dis
tricts, and when that is done it fre-
luently changes the location of prop
critics owned by public service corpor-
atoms. In the past a great many
school district officials have neglect
ID to notify the taxing officers as to
'uch changes or creations OF new dis Is
-ricts and the result is endless an I
loyance in Strengthening up such {
matters. c
Works General Hardship.
AT the same time it works hard 1
hip on the new districts, and pos c
IDLY the old district in the matter 4
I proper and just distribution Of the n
axes II also works hardship on r
he taxing officers, when the over L
light has been discovered, in chang. Il
lg the certificates of assessment. all fl
I which could be remedied If the q
ounty superintendent Of schools and t
chool district officers-at the time "A
hanges of any nature are made II
'ould notify, in case of public ser II
Ice corporations being involved, the u
ate auditor who in turn can notify pt
ne public service corporations af- fc
'eted, and in making their report q
lnually to the state board of equali ii
tion the property could be properly er
stributed and there would be no
lay in getting assessment certfica- st
'ns and in each district collecting in
e taxes actually due that district Of
- ha
Her Son Subject TO Group.