The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1917-03-15
TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR
BILL FAILS TO PASS
c. Fl. Hoff Permits Measure To Die
In COMMITTEES; Explains Purpose
To Tribune

The bill to abolish the office of
township assessor was permitted to
die in committee, according to let
ter received last week by the TriD-
author of the bill, and representa-
i've from this district in the legislat-
ure.
Mr.. Hoff makes the following eX
planation about the bill which The
Tribune is pleased to print:
Referring to an article in your
paper entitled tampering, where you
criticised me in introducing bill to
abolish township assessors, wish to
say that while l am still of the opir-
ion that this would be to the best
interest of the township taxpayer,
have on account of protests received
from Spokane and Whatcom Count
ties not pressed the matter, but al
lowed it to remain in the Committee
to which it was referred. My reasons
for advocating the change were the
following: At the present time, the
township taxpayer pays his pro rata
of the cost of the assessment of Bel
lingham, Lynden, Sumas, Nooksack,
Blaine and Ferndale, as their asses
ors, are paid out of the current ex-
pense of the county.
1t seems, however, that the town
ship taxpayer SO thoroughly enjoys
the paying of taxes that he is not
only willing to help the cities pay
their field deputies but opposes a
change that would allow his city
brethren to return the favor by hav-
ing the township assessor paid out
of the current expense fund instead
of out of the corresponding fund in
the township.
If there is any reason why a town
ship should maintain its own assessor
why should not the same arguments
be used as applying to any of the cit
les and towns above mentioned?
Under the present system, l should
estimate that the township taxpayers
pay about seventy-five per cent of
the total amount paid for the asses
sing of all property within the county
as compared to about twenty-five per
cent paid by the cities.
A second reason for the change
is the unequal valuation placed up
on property by our different township
assessors. l want to call your attent-
ion to the work of the County Board
of Equalization two years ago, when
Custer township was raised ten per
cent, Delta ten per cent, Lynden
twenty per cent per cent, NooAsack.
thirty per cent. Ten Mile twenty-five
per cent, Ferndale twenty-five per
cent, Mountain View twenty-five per
cent Now it can be readily seen by
anyone that wishes to give the matter
some thought that such horizontal in
crease cannot but work an injustice
to d great many individual taxpayers
for instance, a piece of property is
assessed at forty per cent of its full
value, this being the percentage that
| understand the Whatcom County
Board of Equalization has followed,
the taxes are eQuallized by the Town
ship Board of Review. no objection is
offered as the assessment is not over
the established basis, the County
Board of Equalization upon investig
alton finds that the total valuation
of the township in which said proper
ty is located is twenty-five per cent
below the average valuation of the
county, they cannot raise the separ-
ate tracts that have been assessed at
less than the established basis, but
must raise the assessment on all the
property within the township. Mr.
Property Owner who was originally
assessed forty per cent is now raised
to fifty per cent, an unfair assess
ment of ten per cent over the average
rate in the county. Now, however,
although having a reason to object,
he has no recourse and, as before
stated, while the matter was before
the Township Board of Review, he
had recourse but no case.
lam enclosing copy of the bill as
amended and would ask that your
readers and taxpayers in your dist
rict will give the matter their care flu
consideration.
In conclusion, / wish to state that
in the introduction of this bill, /
have had only the interest of the
township taxpayers in mind, the same
as my bill No. 80 that provides that
all bridges over twenty feet in length
shall be built and repaired by the
county; also my amendment to Sen
ate Bill No. 67, Donahue Road Law,
decreasing the cost to the township
and abutting property owner. and
raising the portion paid out of the
general fund Of the county from one
third to one-half of the total cost OF
improvement.