Weekly journal-miner., 1916-07-26
HOT DISCUSSION 0 PE NS I AK
 CONFERENCE
MARICOPA ASSESSORS VALUATIONS ON IRRIGA- TED LANDS ARE HELD TO BE CORRECT.

State tax commission that the valua- tions placed on Maricopa county irri- gated lands by Assessor J. T. Bone of that county should be sustained over the action of the Maricopa board of supervisors, who voted 20 per cent reduction on that class of prop erty while they were sitting as a board of equalization, were voted by the State tax conference which opcf- ed its sessions here yesterday in the | Elks' theatre. The motion carrying the recommendation was carried by the conference with vote of A to 4 During the discussion of the cause of the Maricopa boards action in re- ducing the certain class of property's tax, 20 per cent, Pat Rose, chairman of the board of supervisors of Gila county stated that he thought the re duction by the Maricopa board was made for political reasons. Assessor Bone contcnded that his original val nations were correct. The conference then heard the selling price and as sessed valuation of irrigated lands sold in Maricopa compared, which showed that very few of Bones valu- ations were equal to the selling price
 The discussion of Maricopa's taxa | ton came up when irrigated lands of other counties were being compared in value to those under the great Roosevelt dam irrigation project. In opening its session, the conference adopted the method of comparison in examining the taxation of each coun- ty. Previous to this conference, the taxes of each county had been inves- tigatcd separately leaving the discus sion usually to the representative of the county being investigated.
 The new method soon showed that Maricopa irrigated lands were assess cd much lower than those of any ether county of the State. Maricopa also showed decrease in total tax able wealth to the extent of T,202,- HAS. Then the fight was on for the mining counties delegates said that the rich Salt River valley county was allowing the mineral counties to pay all taxes. The Maricopa delegate defended their action, with the excep- ton of the assessor, who contcndcd that his original valuation was cor rect.
 The argument lasted until nearly C o'clock when the vote on the rccom- mcndation to the State tax commiS- sion was taken. The convention then adjourned until this morning at 9:30 o'clock
 Delegates, who are here represent ing every county in the State, are as | follows:
 Tax commission-Charlcs K. Howe, chairman; C. NJ. Zandcr and Tom Campbell, members; Jesse l.. Boyce, secretary; Ed. w. Powers reporter.
 Apache county-Charlcs s. Love, assessor; Levi 5. Udall, clerk of board of supervisors: l.. K. Gibbons, chair man of board; John C. Hall. member.
 Cochisc - Walter Thomas, chief deputy assessor; A. C. Karger, clcrl, of the board of supervisors; J. M. Sparks, chairman of the board.
 Coconino - J. D. Dunn, assessor: Tom L. Rces, clerk of the board of supervisors: L. E. Hart, chairman of board; Charles Wooliolk and Tom Brown, members.
 Gila-W. c. Duncan, assessor; J. \. Duncan, deputy; Frank L. Gates, clerk of board of supervisors; Patrick Rose, chairman.
 Graham-J. Myron Alfred, asses sor; Martin Layton, clerk of board CT supervisors; George \. Footc, chair man.
 Grcenlcc-James II. Kcrby, asses sor; A. L. Terry, clerk of board oi supervisors: w. w. Dutton, member.
 Maricopa - J. T. Bone, assessor; Clarence l.. Standagc, clerk of board of supervisors: Frank Luke, chair man; C. Warren Peterson and w. K. Bowen, members.
 Mohave-Frank l.. Hunt, assessor; K. O. Rugglcs, deputy; l. \. Hart clerk of board of supervisors; O. l. Walker, chairman.
 1 Navajo-Fay l. Gardner, assessor; Miss Dee N. Moss, clerk of board oi supervisors; K. C. Cresswell, chair man; O. R. Gardner, member.
 Pima-John w. Began, assessor; L. F. Smith, deputy
 Pinal-George F. Truman, assessor, C. H. Nicmcyer, clerk of board of su-