Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-05-06
ASSESSORS ARE HIT
IN SUBCOMM| TEE
REPORT TO HOUSE
CLAIM INSTANCES OF WHERE
TAXING HEADS PERFORM THEIR
DUTIES ARE FEW AND FAR Be
TWEEN.

Springfield, H., May G.-Chairma'
Herbert S Hicks last night made pui
Tic the text Of the the much discusse
report OF the revenue subc0mmitte
which is to be presented to the hous
today.
1t hold the tax dodger,' the as
SCISSOR and the state beard of equal
cation responsible for bankrupt treas
uries, despite high rates of taxation
for which they are held 90 blame.
1t recommends the abolition OF The
state board and the substitution OF z
tax commission OF three persons, a
advocated by Governor Lowden. Hear
ing on the bill is to be had today be
fore the Joint revenue committees OF
house and senate,
AssaIs Cook Assessors.
1t assails Illinois assessors generally j.
and the Cook County board Of asses
sors in particular.
They are responsible in the main
for the successful manipulation Of The
tax dOdger'
! The assessor who lives up to hi.
oath of Office cannot be found in Hi.
nois." the report says.
In proof of its contentious some
sensational figures are presented
Here are some OF the striking TEA
lures of the statistical report:
The total full value OF propert.
listed for taxation in Illinois, accord
ing to the state board Of equalization,
amounts TO S1,75l ,969 1863, while tha
combined bank deposits last November
amounted to more than S2.000000, 000..
not including money deposited in pr
yate banks. Thus single class o
personality exists larger in amount
than the entire personality assessed
for taxation"
Assessments Held Not Uniform.
Lack of uniformity in assessment
also is attacked in the report. In
Hardin County the assessor values au
tomobhes at S365.79, in Cook al
s36291, in Rock Island at $lSl,S3 and
in Pulaski at only S706S
The same variance is shown by a
SCISSORS in fixing the average fair casl
value of household furniture
In McHenry County is is placed a
S110 per family. The Cook County
assessors think the average value
there is only $40 per family.
Startling figures are shown as tel
the proportion of taxes paid by Cool
County on mortgage loans. Winre
bago County has only 63,l53 popula
ton, while Cook has 2,405 ,233 Blu
little Winnebago was assessed $2,SSl
800 on loans and credits, while Cooks
figures were only $2,220,205.
Chicago has 1914 manufactures
plants, assessed at $24,S31, 1853, the re |
port states, while downstate Illinoi: |
has only 1924 plants, but is assesse,
nearly twice as much, or Sal 1865, 50, |
Wild Comparison Drawn.
Undivided profits and capital SUI
plus OF state and national banks il
Chicago are listed at s210, 269, go |
with an assessment OF money and
credits lin Cook County, OF only $29, |
1888 500
The combined capital surplus an,
undivided profits Of state and ma
tional banks in the state outside @.
are listed at only 1927 1863 900 |
but the assessments are in excess Of
Chicagos at So ,020,140
Concerning tax eyasions' the TC |
port says they are to be found il
every part of the state, but no WHERE
50 startling as in Chicago. The re-
port cities numerous instances.
Records show, it is stated, that OF
April /, 1918, there was $17,77S,7 0r |
worth Of grain stored in Chicago elo
yators, but that the grain assessment
for the year was only $199,G44
We have no doubt an Investigation
Of the facts would disclose the grain
listed was charged to the 1868 farmers. |
Of Cook County, and that the million |
aire grain dealers of Chicago escaped
taxation" the report continues.
Only 1882 Autos in Chicago.
According to the report, there were
Il 921 motor vehicles in Chicago int
April, 1918, carrying wheel tax Ii II
lenses of the city, but the board oil
assessors found only 1852 cars, or y
es than % per cent There were i
70 1876 wheel tax" wagons and carl
lagos but the assessors found butt
a 800. II
NH nkl