The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-08-20
REDUCE TAXES,
DEMAND GIVEN
TO STATE BODY
County Auditors Say Burden
Must Be Decreased Through
out the State
WANT CLASSIFI C ALTON
Appointment of County Asses
sor Also Asked-Wallace Pro-
poses to Abolish Levy

y
A statewide demand that taxes be
reduced was heard by the state
board of equalization yesterday
afternoon.
Thirty-eight county auditors ap-
peared before the board in annual
session to present the county valua-
tions for the boards approval. Near
ly every auditor told the board that
the people in his county wanted the
taxes lower The auditors plea was
that they be lowered by the state
board.
Incidents were related by many of
the auditors to emphasize their pleas.
The auditor of Minot told the board
tina an ex-soldier had inquired
whether the taxes on city lots he
owned would be reduced. Unless they
were, he would have to allow the lots
to be sold, he said.
Farm lands are assessed too high
in most counties the board was in
formed by assessors. Particular en-
phasis was placed upon this by aud
itors from western counties, who
said that the great expense of fur
nishing seed, fighting grass hoppecs
and other expenses, added to the
states for state and county purpo-
ses, were proving burden.
Olson PreSides
State Treasurer Obert Olson pre-
sided at the session, which was at
ionand also by Commissioner of Ag-
riculture John Hagan and Attorney
General William LANCER, Governor
Frazier, ex-offcio chairman Of the
board, who is campaigning in Mon
tana, was not present.
A motion was adopted by the aud
itors as follows:
"That the tax commissioner be
requested to formulate Il plan
for classification of lands and
prepare n law for the naming OF
a county assessor in each cOun.
ty, to be under civil seryice.7
Would Abolish Levy
Tax Commissioner George Wallace,
who conducted school for the aud
itors at the morning session before
the board convened, presented a plan
whereby, he said, the state tax levy
could be abolished in 1921. Mr. Wal
lace proposes to increase the income
tax to provide the revenue now pro-
vided for the state by property tax;
Horizontal increases in county as
sessments, which had been made last
year by the board, was one, of the
reasons given for the advocacy OF
classification. Some counties now
have system, but the auditors held
it was inadequate and should be
made uniform.
Propose Classification
Under the proposal, the tax COM
missioner would provide several
classes of lands, labeled A, B, c, etc
Each would include land of certain
character. The local authorities in
each county would place the lands
of that county in the various classes.
Inequalities in assessments could be
avoided in many instances by this
method, the auditors held.
North Dakota now has no county
assessors, though most states have G
salaried county assessor, to have
charge of the work of the township
assessors. Uniformity in county as
sessments can not be obtained unless
there is a central director in each
county, they held. The auditors also
expressed strong conviction that
the assessors office should be held
out of politics. He should be train
ed man, qualified under civil service
regulations, they held. The next leg
islature will be asked to create the
office.
Wallace Explains Plan
In explaining his plan to abolish
the state tax levy, Mr.. Wallace said:
"The state levy for 1920 will De
fixed at seven-tenths of one mill ex-
elusive of soldiers fund if the state
Board of Equalization follows my
recommendation In 1918 the state
levy was four mills. This was inc
levy for series of prior years. IN
1919 The state levy, exclusive OF SOL.
diers funds, was 1.91 mills. In 1921
7 will recommend Z mill exclusive
of soldiers fund and if the legislature
will adopt a plan I now have worked
out the 1921 levy will be reduced TO
zero, exclusive of soldiers fund. 1hat
certainly will be something new IN
this part of the Nation, and Will at
tract attention our way from all over
the United States, My plan to ralse
the additional revenue is to amend
the income tax law so that it Will
produce more revenue and take tne
burden of state government entirely
off of land and other taxable prop
erty.
'This will give us an elastic base
for taxation Under such plan only
those who have an income above exT
nenditures and exemptions will be
called upon to contribute toward the
EXPENSES of state government. This
is as it should be, but is possible
only by affirmative favorable action
by the legislature.
Statements Made
Each county auditor made state
ment to the board on behalf OF his
county. The auditor of Logan coun'
tv asked that the board reduce the
valuation of lands for taxation ID
nercent, and the auditor of Mcla-
tosh county also asked a reduction,
bnt said he believed the fault lay
chiefly in lack of classification.
The auditor of Mountrail county
made a strong plea for reduction OF
begun to think it is bad thing TO
taxes in that county.
"Iye been here five years, and ~"
(Continued on Page Three