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Show ESTABLISHING TRUE REAL ESTATE VALUES Indiana Federation of Farmers' Associations See Opportunity Oppor-tunity to Render Service. In Indiana the value of real estate Is established every four years for the purpose of taxation, and 1922 is the year for such appraisements. Realizing Real-izing the unsettled condition of industrial indus-trial and agricultural matters, the Indiana In-diana Federation of Farmers' Associations Associ-ations felt that there was an opportunity oppor-tunity to render valuable service to those charged with the responsibility of establishing the values of farm property by co-operating with them in every way possible. This was the conclusion con-clusion arrived at at a meeting of county presidents held in Indianapolis February 23, 1922, which was called by the action of the board of directors. direc-tors. The plan as laid by those in attendance attend-ance at this meeting was to have a special tax committee appointed com sisting of one representative from each of the ten farm bureau districts, which committee was to outl'ne a plan of action to be recommended to the board of directors of the Indiana Federation Fed-eration of Farmers' Associations. This plan as submitted and approved provided pro-vided for the selection of a county and township tax committee in addition to the state committee, whose function was to assist the local township assessor as-sessor and the county assessor and board of review in arriving at the true cash value of ail real estate. In practically every instance the assessors as-sessors welcome the assistance tendered ten-dered them and in practically every township the appraisements made by the assessors were made with the assistance as-sistance of the committee, or were approved ap-proved by the committees appointed by the county farm bureau. The county committee sat with the county board of review and rendered such service as was possMile in that connection. con-nection. At the hearings of tfie state beard of fax commissioners when reports were made by the various counties as to the valuations established, members of the state tax committee and officers of the Indiana Federation of Farmers' Associations Asso-ciations heard the reports presented and the evidence from every an :le. Through the work of the organization it is very evident that the estimates made by the officials co-operating with the committees of the farmers' organizations organ-izations are more accurate and equitable equit-able than could have been made by any one Individual. It is also self-evident that with the facts and figures collected by these committees and presented to the tax; Ing officials that they ae brought to realize the great extent to which real estate values have declined in the last two years, which of course proves the value to the farmers of the service rendered through the organization. Indications In-dications are that after all equalizations equaliza-tions have been made the assessed value of real estate will show a decrease de-crease of practically 20 to 25 per cent below that of the averr.ge when last appraised. |