Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 100, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1919 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. BOARD EXPLAINS TAX LAW Comml*alon«r« Tell AiMMon That Property Mult Be Appraioetf at True Caeh Value Without Regard to Person. Indianapolis, March 14. —State tax commissioners, Instructing local assessors on the new tax law at a meeting In the house chamber at the statehouse, called for equality In appraisement of all property and the enforcement of a true cash valuation. “You have heard so much almut the Inequalities of the tax laws by which the poor man is heavily taxed and the rich man escapes with a small amount of taxes. Now have nerve enough to go out and assess the rich man’s property Vit its true cash value," said Fred A. Sims, chairman of the state board. He added that under the new law the assessors hud the power anil the law to back them up in a 100 per cent valuation. Assessors from 24 counties Jn central Indiana gathered at the statehouse to hear an explanation of the new law. Similar conferences will be conducted during the remainder of the week in other sections of the state. Personal property is to be taxed at 100 per cent valuation Just the same as real estate, Mr. Sims said. “You will have your troubles with the persons whose property Is now to be assessed at full value who formerly enjoyed favors, for they will abuse you and call you irtl sorts of things, but Just tell them you can’t help it, and that the state board of tax commissioner* ordered the valuation,” Mr. Sims added. He urged them to overestimate property if necessary and then let the owner appear before the county board of review and prove the value of his property. “If a man shows you a diamond and it looks like an expensive one, but lists It for SSO, you make your appraisal at about SSOO and then he’ll come before the board of review untl tell what he paid for it.” Mr. Sims urged assessors to pay particular attention to Intangibles and stocks, bonds und money in the bank, but not to assess from behind the bank's counter or they would have every bank closed before night. “List all the Intangibles possible and make them pay the full rate." Mr. Sims advised. He asked assessors to record in detail the action of any person in buying shorttime government securities to dodge taxes ami said the state board of tax commissioners would use such evidence as a ftisis for legal proceedings to break up the practice of converting money and property into exempted securities to dodge taxes. Ife said that such action was a basis for a suit charging fraud against the person doing such act. “Household goods have b»*en put in at a disgraceful figure,” he continued. He told the men to list nothing less than 100 per cent and make the person giving in such property swear to its correctness of value. He said that household goods now assessed at about S2O should be assessed at at least SIOO. Mr. Sims declared that there was not a single joker in the bill and that it was drawn to in elude every one fairly. He said that the opponents |o the bill had brought the strongest possible influence to bear against the measure but the tax board had stood firm.