1919_public laws_93_4
CHAPTER 92 AN ACT TO AMEND CHAPTER 231, PUBLIC LAWS OF 1917, IN RELATION TO THE ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTY AND THE COLLECTION OF TAXES. The General Assembly of North Carolina do enact: ARTICLE I Boarp OF STATE TAX COMMISSIONERS
It shall be the duty of said board and they shall have power and authority to have general supervision of the system of taxation throughout the State, and to have and exercise general supervision over the administration of all assessment and tax laws, over all county, township, and city tax assessors and boards of equalization, to the end that all assessments of property, real, personal, and mixed, be made relatively just and uniform, and at its TRUE value in money; to require all county, township, and city assessors, boards of equalization and levy and assessment oflicers, under penalty of forfeiture and removal from office as such assessors or boards, to assess all property of every kind and character at its TRUE value in money. 1 To confer with and advise assessing officers as to their duties under this act, and to institute proper proceedings to enforce the penalties and liabilities provided by law for public officers, officers of corporations and individuals failing to comply with this act; to prefer charges to the Governor against assessing and taxation officers who violate the law or fail in the performance of their duties in reference to assessments and taxation; and in the execution of these powers the said board may call upon the Attorney-General or any prosecuting attorney in the State to assist said board, and any person or officer who fails or refuses to comply with any lawful order of the State Tax Commission shall be subject to a penalty or forfeiture of one hundred dollars, the same to be imposed by order of said Commission; and in addition any such person or officer so offending shall be liable to punishment by said board as for contempt. 2 At least thirty days previous to the date fixed for listing taxes, to prepare a pamphlet for the instruction of tax assessors. said pamphlet shall, in as plain terms as possible, explain the proper working of the tax laws of the State, and shall call particular attention to any points in the administration of the laws which have seemed to be overlooked or neglected. They shall advise the assessors of the practical working of the laws and explain any points which seem to be intricate and upon which assessors may differ. 3 To receive complaints as to property liable to taxation that has not been assessed or of property that has been fraudulently or improperly assessed through error or otherwise, and to investigate the same, and to take such proceedings and to make such orders as will correct the irregularity complained of, if found to exist. 4 To see that each county in the State be visited by at least one member of the board as often as is necessary, to the end that all complaints concerning the law of assessment and taxation may be heard; that information concerning its workings may be collected ; that all assessing and taxation officers comply with the law and all violations thereof be punished, and that all proper suggestions as to amendments and change may be made. 5 To require from any registers of deeds, clerks of courts, mayors and clerks of towns, or any other officer in this State, on forms prescribed by said Board of State Tax Commissioners, such annual or other reports as shall enable said board to ascertain the assessed valuations of all property listed for taxation throughout the State under this act, the amount of taxes assessed, collected, and returned delinquent, and such other matters as the board may require, to the end that it may have complete and statistical information as to the practical operation of this act; that every such officer mentioned in this section who shall willfully neglect or refuse to furnish any report required by the commission for the purposes of this act: or who shall willfully and unlawfully hinder, delay, or obstruct said commission in the discharge of its duties, shall forfeit and pay one hundred dollars for each offense, to be recovered in an action in the name of the State. A delay of ten days to make and furnish such report shall raise the presumption that the same was willful. 6 To make diligent investigation and inquiry concerning the revenue laws and systems of other States and countries, so far as the same is made known by published reports and statistics and can be ascertained by correspondence with officers thereof, and, with the aid of information thus obtained, together with experience and observation of our own laws, to recommend to the Legislature at each regular session thereof such amendments, changes, or modifications of our revenue laws as seem proper and necessary to remedy injustice and irregularities in taxation and to facilitate the assessment and collection of public revenues. 7 To further report to the Legislature at each regular session thereof, or at such other times as the Legislature may direct, the whole amount of taxes collected in the State for all purposes, classified as to State, county, township, and municipal purposes, with the sources thereof; the amount lost, the cause of the loss, the proceedings of said board, and such other matters of information concerning the public revenues as it may deem of public interest. 8 To discharge such other duties as are or may be prescribed by law.