FOREST TAXATION 65^ 



the computing authority would undoubtedly recommend figures to the 

 legislative body differing from those derived from exact mathematical 

 calculations * by an amount justifiable by the deplorable state much 

 of our timber is in at present. From only a small portion of this 

 land can we expect a normal yield during the first rotation. The get- 

 away has been too poor. The handicap of a poor start (wrong 

 species, insufficient stocking, faulty distribution of age classes, etc.), 

 cannot be overcome in one or two decades. Therefore, in placing the 

 first set of limits to expectation values as guides for the listers in 

 fixing assessed values the hard facts must Ije tempered by justice to 

 all concerned. 



The following suggested measures are included to show how simply 

 this principle may be embodied in a law : 



AN ACT TO PROVIDE UNIFORMITY IX METHODS OF FOREST TAXATION AXU TO RAISE 

 REVENUE FROM FOREST LANDS PROPORTIONATE TO THEIR ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE 

 TOWARD PUBLIC EXPENSE. 



Section 1. — Lands lying outside the limits of a city or village, 

 which the listers at a quadrennial appraisal determine and decide are 

 used for no more remunerative purposes than for timber production, 

 shall be set in the list as wild lands, and shall be appraised quadren- 

 nially without regard to either the live trees thereon, if any, or the 

 betterments used in forest management thereto attached, and the listers 

 in determining such value shall consider only the value of the soil to 

 grow timber, provided that wild lands shall be listed at not less than 



dollars or more than dollars per acre. The tax 



herein provided shall be collected yearly whether the timber or other 

 product of the soil is taxed or is not taxed. 



Section 2. — Stands of timber which the listers at a quadrennial ap- 

 I)raisal determine and decide have become fully mature shall be set 

 in the list as saw timber and shall be appraised quadrennially without 

 regard to the value of the land. When a stand is so listed for the 

 first time written notice of such action shall be filed by the listers with 

 the owner of the stand, but no tax shall be levied against such timber 

 until the next succeeding quadrennial appraisal, provided that such 

 exemption shall not apply to stands manifestly overmature. Stands 

 of timber which the listers at a quadrennial appraisal determine and 

 decide have not yet become fully mature shall be exempt from taxation. 



Section 3. — For the information of the listers the State forester 

 shall, on January 1st of each quadrennial year transmit to the com- 

 missioner of taxes statement outlining explicitly the factors which 

 govern the maturity of standing timber, the factors which control the 



^ Based on normal stands, Federal in'erest rates and future stumpage values. 



