The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-01-21
REAL ESTATE MEN
WISH TO CORRECT
APPRAISAL DATA
Believe State Board Should
Change Figures Where
Proof Can Be Given to Sup
port Claim.

Efforts win be made by ", 7. Con-
don. county as ssor, and by several
committees worAia~ Independently to
secure some change n the appraisal
OF real estate in Memp..s h~ the state
board OF equalization belv. the fig
ures are adopted as the official APP
praisal
Since the provisions OF the new as
sessment and taxation laws have be-
come better known. there is little OBJ
position to the law itself But II is
realized by business men that the en-,
tire success OF the law must be based
upon an approximately correct Nalua-
ticn Of real estate,
Mr.. Condor has written to V. A..
Louthan. chief stausticlan, asking per
mission to submit suggestions as TO
some changes in the basic figures OF
the appraisal In several wards, IN when
he feels confident that the valuation
placed on real estate is higher than
the real values warrant, Among these
wards are the First, Second Firth,
Ninth, Twenty and Twenty-seN-
enth.
M. Condor pointed out that while he
Is the state assessor. and intends to
carry out absolutely 10 the letter 50
far as he Ia able, the provisions OF all
the state laws, he Is also working for
the people OF Shelby county as their
county assessor. and feels himself 90
ligated to see that values throughout
the city and county are placed on what
he considers fair cash basis,
Adam Jett, representing committee
OF the Memphis Real Estate Dealers
association, has called "A meeting for
Thursday, at which he win submit some
examples of what he believes 70 be
a ~ lad
which he believes the association should
call TO the attention OF the state board
before the figures are approved
Elias Gates, chairman Of the taxa
ton committee OF the Chamber Of Com
merce. and w, Il, Cleveland, chairman
az the wholesale merchants division OF
the chamber. have asked anyone know
lng OF apprasals having been made
which can be proved either by recent
sales or options, or by contracts for
sale placed In tho hands OF real estate
agents. to be out Of line, to commune
cate with them, 80 that the matter
may be taken up.
make any attack upon the law, or upon
the appraisal as n whole, but they
merely wish to bring such instances 10
the attention OF the state board, so
that they may be corrected II possible
before the figures are sent 20 the
county hFSttkAIs AlltT lnAlt VI tue
assessor follows them, as he IL COM
PEELED to do, unless special proof Is
presented to eontrovert the appraisal,
them the complaints must he made 70
the county board Of equalization and
later may be carried 10 the state board.
III the few instances In which errors
have been made can be corrected now,
much time and trouble will be saved
the taxpayers,
The appraisal for the entire county
should have been In the hands OF each
county assessor on Jan 10, The tre-
mendous amount OF clerical work neees-
sary, however. In copying and compil-
ing the appraisal in 80 counties, COW
ering more than 100000 pieces OF
realty has delayed the state board,
and III will be several days before the
appraisal IL sent out from Nashville,
After April IS, the final date for re-
turning personal property statements,
the state board will scrutinize those
statements and throughout the year
Mlll examine into the I'D yRlorem state
lments OF merchants But that's an
IotheF story. which cannot be forecasted
ufstfT the state board II ready to tackle
the problems involved