Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on February 17, 1941.
COUNTY LOSING HEAVILY FROM TAX EVASIONS
Assessors Told Checkup Planned to Uncover Chiseling On Matter of Intangibles Stamps.
SAYS THOUSANDS LOST ANNUALLY
Porter County as well as other counties of the state are losing thousands of dollars annually through failure of persons to pay taxes on intangibles.
This was the assertion made by Ronald H. Ditty, of Gary, representative of the Indiana state tax board, to township assessors of Porter county at a meeting held this morning at the office of County Assessor Edward Landgrebe at the court house.
Mr. Ditty presided at a hearing and explained the various forms to be used during the assessing period which begins on March 1. C.R. Benjamin, member of the state tax board, who was scheduled to attend today’s session, was unable to come.
According to Ditty, one of the reasons assigned for the loss in taxes on intangibles, has been the lack of enforcement of the law. Honest taxpayers buy the stamps but many do not. The fact that the rate is only 25c per $100 precludes anyone from trying to avoid payment, he said.
Plan Checkup
Ditty warned that the state tax board plans to send out checkers within a short time to examine the records and ferret out those who have been evading payment. These men will contact brokers to ascertain who has purchased stock, will probe county records and endeavor in other ways to ascertain if the tax is being paid.
He urged assessors to ask all taxpayers if they own any intangibles in order to prevent them from being assessed a penalty for not paying the tax.
Ditty was unable to say whether a reassessment of real estate will be made. He had a copy of the b;; to be introduced in the legislature providing for a reassessment in 1942. However, if this bill does not pass, he was confident the state tax board will not order an assessment.
Because of pending legislation, Ditty advised the assessors to urge taxpayers not to file petitions with the county auditor for realty reassessments until the latter part of March. If the bill is passed then it will not be necessary to file.
