Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1921-04-29
ASSESSORS MEET:
DISCUSS DUTIES
Advised to Assess at Full True
Value, Which Will Hurt
No One
NO HARD AND FAST RULE;
COMMON SENSE NEEDED
PalpabIy Gross Determinations In As
sessment Likely TO Result In Re
Assessments

Assessments
Assessment at full true value" was
the keynote of the address of Alden j
Laidlaw. assessor of incomes. to the
convention of assessors who gathered
at the court house Monday to exchange
ideas and to gather information for use
in their work which will begin next
week.
"A uniform full value assessment al
ways means Il more equitable assess
ment as between owners" Mr. Laidlaw
said. 1T does away with various school
district equalizatiOns it abOlshes in
justice where two or more districts
contribute jointly to bridge fund: it
simplilieS the matter of county equali-
ZatiOn. \ full value assessment does not
raise taxes because the rate is ncceSSar-
lily correspondence lower When an
assessment is made at full value, prop
erty owners can readily see if they
have been Disseminated against. An
equitable full cash value assessment
means a square deal for every property
owner. 1t is the property and not the
owner that you are to ASSESS hence YOU
have no moral or legal right to allow
your Judgment to be influenced on any
class of property by reason Of its own
ership.'
Assessors Don't Make Taxes
Referring to the criticism. and even
-
assessors, Mr.. Laidlaw said in sub
stance that some people believe that as
SCISSORS make the amount of the taxes
and do not know that only school dis
trictS. town meetings, village and cOun-
ty boards city councils, and the legis-
latnre can levy taxes. The only duty
of the assessor is to fix the value of the
taxpayers property by which the taxes
are appOrtiOned among the taxpayers
You cannot follow any hard and
fast rule i'll assessing property" said
the assessor of incomes. Follow the
good common sense" He advised as
SCISSORS to assess their own properties
first and to assess them plenty high
enough so that there cannot be any
criticism against the officer on this
score He also asked each assessor to
send in sheet to his office showing
the first five assessments made in his
district, that an estimate might be
made Of the work he was doing.
Guide Values
Il III, Il:
over comparative values of livestock
this year and last year. Owing to
tuctuating prices. it seemed Il difficult
matter 60 determine actual values.
One assessor expressed his opinion
that One-half the milch COWS Of the
county are "boarders" and only worth
the market value for beef as they
would grade And the actual values
of high-priced pure-breds was dis
cuSsed briefly without satisfactory re-
suits, evidently.
The assessor of incomes suggested
the following values as a guide: Pure
bred milch cows. 500 to $50; grades,
$50 to $50: common, $50 to $50. Pure
bred heiferS, $50 to 500; grades $50
to $50; common, $25 to $50. Pure bred
open heifers $50 to 500; grades. $40
to $50; common, $15 to $40. Pure bred
bulls $50 to 800: grades. market val
ne per pound.
Average guide values for horses
Light horses. under 1000 lbs. 4
months to three years of age, $50 to
$50: 3 to 9 years. $40 to $125 8 to II
years. $40 to 500: II to 20 years. $50
to $50. Medium weight. 1000 to 1900
lbs, months to ; years of age. $40
to $50: 3 10 8 years old. 500 to 5000
1. to II years, $50 to $50; II to 20
years. $40 to 500. Draft. over 1,30O
lbs. 4 months to 3 years. $50 to S125
3to years. $50 to $3.50 8 to II years
$t00 to $175; II to 20 years, $50 to $125
Average guide values for sheep
About 81 per head; pure breds. S12
These prices with the wool on. Wool
20 cents per pound.
Average guide values for swine: IS
per hundred pounds. Brood SOWs, 81:
to $50.
County Agent Schoeff was present
for short time and he asked if eacl
assessor would not carry with him dur
ing his work of assessing, a petition
asking for an area test for bovine til
hprculOsis as an aid in getting the mum
her Of Signers for such county test III
above the 1000 mark. More than 50(
cattle owners have already signed sucl
petitions. he said
Logs and Lumber.
Therewere some inquiries concerning
logs in transit and where they shoult
be assessed. which was explained b,
Mr. Laidlaw. During the past few
years some illegal assessments have