FOREST TAXATION IN THE UNITED STATES 97 
In Michigan the State tax commission annually announces and 
presents to the State board of equalization recommended valuations 
for each county. ‘Two weeks later a hearing is held before the State 
board of equalization at the State capitol. This hearing is partici- 
pated in by representatives of practically all of the counties, who, 
being partisans for their county, endeavor to show why their county’s 
valuation for purposes of State taxation should be reduced below the 
valuation fixed by the tax commission. After arguments pro and 
con, but based on only sketchy factual data, each county’s valuation 
is finally fixed by the State board of equalization; but this valuation 
is used only to determine the percentage of State tax which shall be 
borne by each county. The unsatisfactory nature of this procedure 
is shown by a quotation from the 1930 report of the State tax com- 
mission. 
This annual meeting of the State board of equalization causes a good deal of 
dissatisfaction and protest and bitter feeling, and it is suggested that the law 
should be changed so that a meeting of this board should be held every 2 or 3 
years. In addition to the feeling aroused, it also entails a large expense on each 
county which sends its representatives to this meeting. (33, Rept. 16, p. 6). 
In Maine the State equalization is accomplished by means of a 
conference. Members of the State board of equalization visit each 
county once a year and there hold a meeting at which the assessors 
of each town are represented. At this meeting, of from 10 to 70 
assessors, assessment standards are discussed and general information 
is obtained by means of which a State valuation of each town is 
established, which valuation serves as a basis for the levy of State 
and county taxes (32, sec. 5, ch. 9, p. 6.) 
New York and Wisconsin serve as excellent examples of the real 
estate sales method of equalization. In general, the State board of 
equalization in these States collects data regarding the actual sales 
that have taken place during a certain period of years. These sales 
are selected carefully to eliminate those that, due to circumstances, 
would not be representative of the market. Then the market values 
as established by these actual sales of particular properties are com- 
pared with the assessed valuation of the same and similar properties. 
The assessment ratio prevailing in each county is determined by 
the New York Tax Commission by dividing the assessed value of 
those properties recently sold and for which actual considerations 
are known by the sales value of the same properties. 
The rate [ratio] so produced is not conclusive, but it does form the basis for 
the rate which is finally determined after all of the evidence, other than sales 
prices, available to the commission has received careful consideration (43, p. 73). 
The assessed value of the real property of each county is then 
divided by the assessment ratio of that county as expressed in percent 
to determine the full value of taxable real property. This full value 
of each county is then multiplied by the average rate of equalization 
[assessment ratio] determined for all counties in the State, and the 
result is the equalized value of real property. Thus the equalized 
value of all counties when totaled is equal to the total valuation of 
the State as assessed (43, pp. 68-69). 
The purpose of this [the equalization] table is the correct distribution of the 
direct State tax among the counties and not the determination of the actual 
full value of the assessed reality (43, p. 29). 
101285°—35——_7 
