The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1952-01-04

erected on each lot or tract, and he
should be careful to make note
of all additions and improvements
which have taken place in the past
year. If he has lost any building
by fire, destruction, etc., he should
also make a note of that fact. If
he has bought or sold any land he
should be careful to note when he
purchased or sold the land and
from or to whom it was transfer
red. If he has subdivided any
property be should make a note of
the fact
In making out the list of per-
sonal property he owns, the tax
payer should be careful not to
lump property together into large
groups or classes. For example,
household and kitchen furniture
should be listed by room, not as a
single lump item. He should be
careful to note where the personal
property is located if it is not To-
Gated in his home township.
Business firms will be asked to
furnish statements of their stocks
of merchandise their inventories,
machinery, fixtures, etc. Often
proper forms for furnishing such
information are furnished in adj
vance of the listing period.
Not only should the property
owner make list of everything he
owns before he goes to see the
list taker, but he should also set
down by each item the amount of
money for which he thinks it could
be sold. This figure should repre-
sent what he considers fair mar
ket price for the item.
This advice may sound strange
to the average taxpayer who has
beer accustomed to giving in his
property at one-fourth, one-third,
or one-half what he knows it
would bring if sold. Such prac-
tice actually does very little to
ease the taxpayers burden despite
what he may have though. The
reason is very simple: The county
must raise certain amount of
money to run the government and
supply the services that the peo-
pie demand. The tax officials are
charged by law with the duty of
making the tax on property uni
form and equalized as among the
various items Of property. Know
ing that taxpayers are inclined
to give very low appraisals of their
property, the county officials have
generally applied similarly low
value figures to all property in the
county. This has been necessary
to achieve uniformity. No one is
fooling any one. To keep the whole
process on a realistic basis, and
without necessarily raising any in
dividual's tax bill, every taxpayer
should make available to the list
taker a relatively accurate value
figure on his property. Then, when
the assessment is placed against
a particular piece of property, the
list taker will be able to apply
a uniform reduction to the figures
presented by all taxpayers. This
procedure does not mean higher
taxes; instead, it simply makes
more accurate the present process
of equalization.
8. What real estate is exempt
from county and city property
taxes?
The exemption of real property
is based either on its ownership
or on its use; sometimes it is bas-
ed on both ownership and use. It
is essential in every case to meet
the exact words of the exemption
statute before exemption can be
granted. For this reason it is i'm
possible to state the exemption law
in brief terms covering all cases,
and the taxpayers should consult
the local tax officials if he has
questions about any possible ex-
emption. As a general rule, how
ever, the following summary will
be helpful to the individual tax
payers:
| (a) The buildings and land ac-
tually owned and occupied by the
following associations, institutions,
and organizations are usually tax
exempt:
Benevolent, charitable, histori-
cal, and patriotic associations-if
used exclusively for association
purposes.
Churches-if used exclusively
for religious purposes or for a
minister's residence.
Colleges, educational institu-
tons, industrial schools, and semi
naries-if used exclusively for ed
ucational purposes or for faculty
and staff residences.
Lodges-if used exclusively for
lodge purposes.
Orphanages and similar homes
If not conducted for profit.
Public libraries-if wholly de-
voted IN educational Yo,,rYocaS