Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 298, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1916 — Radical Changes Suggested In Report of Tax Commissioners. [ARTICLE]

Radical Changes Suggested In Report of Tax Commissioners.

If the report of the tax commission, appointed by Governor Ralston to devise means for improving the laws for the levying and collecting of taxes, as approved by the state legislature, there will be some radical changes, whether they turn out to be improvements or not. One of the big changes would be the abolishment of the present state board of tax commissioners and the creation of the board of tax control of three members, board to be nonpartisan and to have no ex-officio members. The board would appoint the county assessors and control them the same as other employes, review and local assessment, bring proceedings in the circuit courts for the removal of local tax officers who fail’ to perform their duty and appoint their successors. The board to be composed in part at least of real experts in taxation. A complete reassessment of the state is asked for 1918, and a state tax not to exceed 20c on the hundred dollars. The commission asks that the counties of the state be divided into four classes for tax Durposes. They would fix the rate in counties »f the first class at not more than 20c on the hundred dollars; second class 30c on the hundred; third class 40c on the hundred and fourth class 50c on the hundred dollars. In the grouping of the counties into classes, Rensselaer .would be in the second class. Township tax rates shall not exceed 10c, according to the plan jf the commission.