The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-07-01
T.H. THORESEN RETIRES TODAY
AS dakota TAX COMMISSIONER
State Official for Last Four
Years viii Open Law OF.
flee in Bismarck
HAS SUCCESSFUL RECORD
Colleagues Commend Resigning
Official for Efficient Man.
agement Of Affairs

i. II. InOreSen, state TAX COf1lnlS.
sioner for the last four and one-half
years. retires today. He is succeeded
by liver Acker, Hillsboro. appointed
last month by Governor Shafer. fol-
lowing Mr.. Thoresen's resignation.
MI. Thoresen will remain in Bis
marck. returning to the practice of
law, which he was forced to give up
on his appointment as tax commits
sioner by Governor Sorlie in 1925.
Taxpayers have become acquainted
with Mr.. Thoresen during his term
Of office, and know him as an indie
fatigable worker for the interests of
the state. Under his direction has
been the assessment of all the state
property. the collection of the state
income tax. and the state inheritance
tax. in addition to the assessment Of
state, county, and local taxes.
Has Small Force
The income taxes alone this year
up until the first of June total $780,
207.28, and in June amounted to APP
proximatcly $4,000. The taxes levied
for state purposes amount to around
5000. 900 a year. and these in the To-
cal subdivisions reach a total of near
ly O.0OO. 900. This work Mr.. Thore-
sen has accomplished with a smaller
force than he had when he took Of
flee in 1925.
THE first task I met. and Of
the first things I saw needed" Mr..
Thoresen said. was to arouse the
people generally and the officials of
the state to get equality Of assess
ncnt. There must be equality be-
tween taxpayers.
THE people are beginning to real
ize there is such a thing as fair treat
mcnt between individuals. My idea
was, and still is, that all taxpayers
must pay, and that they will pay more
willingly If they know all are paying
alike. The work of the tax commits
sion has doubled since I took office,
probably because we have been too
willing to work.
Il hope the people and the officials
Of the state will give Mr.. Acker the
hcarticst cooperation possible. He is
a good man for the position, and I am
certain he will do all in his power to
serve the people we'll.
Il wish to express to the taxpayers
Of North Dakota my sincere apprccia-
ton of their good will and cooperation
during the last five years. The adj
ministration of the tax department
Of a great state is a tremendous un-
dertaking. fraught with many prob
lens and great responsibility. These
have been made lighter by the intel
ligent and. willing cooperation of the
thousands Of people with whom !
have come in contact. For this I
express my thanks.
Il am going back to my profession.
and will be engaged in the general
practice of law in this state. and so,
while I am bidding the people good
bye as tax commissioner, / hope to be
remembered by Them
Mr.. Thoresen has been of great
value to the state Of North Dakota
G. A. Fisher, deputy state treasurer,
declared. He has used a great deal
of good judgment in the way he has
conducted the office of the tax COM
mission, and has worked increasingly
in the interests of the people of the
state. He has shown remarkable wis
dom in the way he has handled mat
tiers on the equalization board, in
dealing with corporations and the
subdivisions.
AS tax commissioner he has been
a valuable asset to the state. and it
is with the keencst regret that I see
him leave the official service Of
North Dakota"
Following his graduation from law
school Mr.. Thorcsen took up the
practice Of law in Dunn Center. and
served as states attorney in Dunn
county four years. He was a candi-
date for attorney general in 1924, but
was defeated for that office by Geo.
F. Shafcr. In 1923 he was drafted as
candidate for governor. and was de-
feated again by MI. Shafer.