Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-02-10
WARMERS BILL IS
A BODY BLOW To
STATE TAX BOARD

The Portland Observer has the fol-
lowing to say Of Representative War
ners bill to modify the powers OF the
state tax commission.
Many OF the absolute bowers Of tho
state tax commission, which have in
CURED the universal displeasure OF
Michigan citizens as a result of the nm
Just reassessment OF real and personal
property values throughout the state.
promise to be curtailed if a bill draft
ed by Representative Warner, of Ionia
county, Is enacted into a law by the
Legislators down at Lansing. The fate
OF the measure which seems to offer
the only practical remedy for the ills
or the commission, will be watched by
an eager constituency.
Representative Warner went on re-
cord during the last campaign as op-
posed 10 the importation Of non-resi-
uent appraisers into the various coun-
ties OF the state for the purpose of
placing valuations on real and personal
property, and is merely CARRYING out
ms pledge To the voters in introducing
the bill mentioned The measure is in
the form OF an amendment to the pres
ent tax law and If enacted will not
ohly curtail the powers Of the commits
sion but will save Thousands of dollars
10 property owners Of the state.
Nhiie Representative Warmers bill
empowers the state board 10 send
competent assessors into a district
Tor the purpose OF placing valuations
on properly, he proposes to have the
supervisor assess the property in his
own individual district as is now done
ana IN case returns are unsatisfactory
10 the state board Of tax commissioners
they can make complaint to the county
TAX authorities and the property will
then be reassessed by the board Of re-
view, member of the state tax com
mission meeting in conjunction. IL
passed, and there is every reason to
expect that it will, the amendment will
virtually put out of office the large
number OF assessors who recently visit
ed Portland and every other commun-
lty In the state, and number of other
so-called experts employed by the
board
Taxpayers of Portland, Orange.
Dandy and Sebewa townships recently
petitioned the Legislature :. .-ough
their representative, for /: - cal of
the present tax law, but hardy expect
ed such drastic action, The petitioners
will be sratiiied to learn that Repre-
sentative Warner, TO whom their petit
ton was forwarded, has not ignored
their protest but had embodied his own
ideas into the bill which he confidently
believes Will remedy fuany Of the illg
that taxpayers have had TO contend
with since the commission set at work
to "equaliZe" values
Since representatives Of the tax
commission went through Portland
and vicinity early in the fail attach
ing valuations to property, taxpayers
i'm general have risen up in C~rtU -mna-
ton OF their work. The legislature
has been swamped with petitions urg-
ing either the complete repeal of the
Jaw or modification Of the powers OF
the commission. One indignant tax
payer residing in a northern county ex-
presses his dlsapproval of the present
system OF taxation in a letter to Com
missioner Barnes, OF Lansing. as fol-
lows:
The tax laws amt right The su-
pervisOrs Of this county amt compe-
tent. | wish you would use your in
huence TO get a law passed through
this legislature that will make il inn
possible for a man to be supervisor il
he has any folks alive or dead that's
either crazy or foolish. This ought to
be tended to-"