ARTICLE II. MODE OF ASSESSMENT. Section 20. Ascertaining facts for assessment. 21. Preparation of assessment-roll. 22. Assessment of state lands in forest preserve. 23. Banks to make report. 24. Bank shares, how assessed. 25. Individual banker, how assessed. 26. Notice of assessment to bank or banking association, 27. Reports of corporations. 28. Penalty for omission to make statement. 29. Assessment of real property of nonresident. 30. Surveys and maps of nonresident real property. 31. Corporations, how assessed. 32. Assessment of agent, trustee, guardian or executor. 33. Assessment of omitted property. 34. Debts owing to nonresidents of United States, how as sessed. 35. Notice of completion of assessment-roll. 36. Hearing of complaints. 37. Correction and verification of tax-roll. 38. Filing of roll and notice thereof. 39. Assessors to apportion valuation of railroad, telegraph, telephone, or pipe line companies between school districts. 40. Neglect or omission of duty by assessors. 41. Abandonment of lot divisions. 42. Assessment of special franchises. 43. Report to state board of tax commissioners. 44. Hearing on special franchise assessment. 45. Certiorari to review assessment. 46. Deduction from special franchise tax for local purposes. 47. Special franchise tax not to affect other tax. § 20. Ascertaining facts for assessment. The assessors in each tax district may, by mutual agreement, divide it into convenient assessment districts not exceeding the number of such assessors. The assessors in each tax district shall annually, between May first and July first, ascertain by diligent inquiry all the property and the names of all the persons taxable therein, except that in towns containing an incorporated village having a population of more than ten thousand inhabitants according to the last state census the assessors may have from April fifteenth until July first to ascertain the taxable property and names of persons taxable (Thus amended by L. 1900, chap. 512.) in such towns. § 21. Preparation of assessment-roll. They shall prepare an assessment-roll containing six separate columns, and shall, according to the best information in their power, set down: 1. In the first column the names of all taxable persons in the tax district. 2. In the second column the quantity of real property taxable to each person, with a statement thereof in such form as the commissioners of taxes shall prescribe. 3. In the third column the full value of such real property. 4. In the fourth column the full value of all the taxable personal property owned by each person respectively after deducting the just debts owing by him. 5. In the fifth column the value of taxable rents reserved and chargeable upon lands within the tax district, estimated at a principal sum, the interest of which, at a legal rate per annum, shall produce a sum equal to such annual rents, and if payable in any other thing except money, the value of the rents in money to be ascertained by them and the value of each rent assessed separately, and if the name of the person entitled to receive the rent assessed cannot be ascertained by the assessors, it shall be assessed against the tenant in possession of the real property upon which the rents are chargeable. 6. In the sixth column the value of the special franchise as fixed by the state board of tax commissioners. (Amended by L. 1899, chap. 712, taking effect October 1, 1899.) 7. Such assessment-roll shall contain two additional columns, in one of which shall be inserted the amount of the tax levied against each person named therein, and in the other the date of the payment of such tax. (Inserted by L. 1901, chap. 159, taking effect March 22, 1901.) See notes under this section, in Greene's Tax Laws, 2d ed., 1901. L. 1898, Chap. 610, An Act to Legalize Certain Assessments. Section 1. An assessment of real or personal property heretofore made shall not be deemed invalid because the property was assessed to the estate of a decedent, instead of to his personal representatives, devisees, legatees, heirs, or next of kin. 66 § 2. Nothing in this act contained shall affect any legal action now pending. § 3. This act shall take effect immediately. 8 22. Assessment of state lands in forest preserve.- All wild or forest lands within the forest preserve shall be assessed and taxed at a like valuation and rate as similar lands of individuals within the counties where situated. On or before August first in every year the assessors of the town within which the lands so belonging to the state are situated shall file in the office of the comptroller and of the board of fisheries, game and forest, a copy of the assessment-roll of the town, which, in addition to the other matter now required by law, shall state and specify which and how much, if any, of the lands assessed are forest lands, and which and how much, if any, are lands belonging to the state; such statements and specifications to be verified by the oaths of a majority of the assessors. The comptroller shall thereupon, and before the first day of September following, and after hearing the assessors and the board of fisheries, game and forest, if they or any of them so desire, correct or reduce any assessment of state lands which may be in his judgment an unfair proportion to the remaining assessment of land within the town, and shall in other respects approve the assessment and communicate such approval to the assessors. No such assessment of state lands shall be valid for any purpose until the amount of assessment is approved by the comptroller, and such approval attached to and deposited with the assessment-roll of the town, and therewith delivered by the assessors of the town, to the supervisor thereof or other officer authorized to receive the same from the assessors. No tax for the erection of a schoolhouse or opening of a road shall be imposed on the state lands unless such erection or opening shall have first been approved in writing by the board of fisheries, game and forest. § 23. Banks to make report. The chief fiscal officer of every bank or banking association organized under the authority of this state, or of the United States, shall, on or before the first day of July, in each year, furnish the assessors of the tax district in which its principal office is located a statement under oath of the condition of such bank or banking association on the first day of June next preceding, stating the amount of its authorized capital stock, the number of shares and the par value of the shares thereof, the amount of stock paid in, the amount of its surplus and of its undivided profits, if any, a complete list of the names and residences of its stockholders and the number of shares held by each. In case of neglect or refusal on the part of any bank or banking association to report as herein prescribed, or to make other or further reports as may be required such bank or banking association shall forfeit the sum of one hundred dollars for each failure, and the additional sum of ten dollars for each day such failure continues, and an action therefor shall be prosecuted by the county treasurer of the county in which such bank or banking association so neglecting or refusing to report is located, and in the city of New York by the receiver of taxes thereof. There shall, in addition to such report, be kept in the office of every such bank or banking association a full and correct list of the names and residences of all stockholders therein, and of the number of shares held by each, and such lists shall be subject to the inspection of the assessors at all times. The list of stockholders furnished by such bank or banking association shall be deemed to contain the names of the owners of such shares as are set opposite them, respectively, for the purpose of assessment and taxation. (Thus amended by L. 1901, chap. 550, in effect April 25, 1901.) 8 24. Bank shares, how assessed. In assessing the shares of stock of banks or banking associations organized under the authority of this state or the United States, the assessment and taxation shall not be at a greater rate than is made or assessed upon other monied capital in the hands of individual citizens of this state. The value of each share of stock of each bank and banking association shall be ascertained and fixed by adding together the amount of the capital stock, surplus, and undivided profits of such bank or banking association and by dividing the result by the number of outstanding shares of such bank or banking association. The rate of tax upon the shares of stock of banks and banking associations shall be one per centum upon the value thereof, as ascertained and fixed in the manner hereinbefore provided, and the owners of the stock of banks and banking associations shall be entitled to no deduction from the taxable value of their shares because of the personal indebtedness of such owners, or for any other reason whatsoever. Complaints in relation to the assessments of the shares of stock of banks and banking associations made under the provisions of this act shall be heard and determined as provided in article two, section thirty-six, of the tax law. The said tax shall be in lieu of all other taxes whatsoever for state, county or local purposes upon the said shares of stock, and the mortgages, judgments and other choses in action and personal property held or owned by banks and banking associations, the value of which enters into the value of said shares of stock, shall also be exempt from all other state, county or local taxation. The tax herein imposed shall be levied in the following manner: The board of supervisors of the sevcral counties shall, on or before the fifteenth day of December in each year, ascertain from an inspection of the assessment-rolls in their respective counties, the number of shares. of stock of banks and banking associations in each town, city, village, school and other tax district, in their several counties, respectively, in which such shares of stock are taxable, the names of the banks issuing the same, respectively, and the assessed value of such shares, as ascertained in the manner provided in this act and entered upon the said assessment-rolls, and shall forthwith mail to the president or cashier of each of said banks or banking associations a statement setting forth the amount of its capital stock, surplus and undivided profits, the number of outstanding shares thereof, the value of each share of stock taxable in said county, as ascertained in the manner herein provided, and the aggregate amount of tax to be collected and paid by such bank or banking association, under the provisions of this act. A certified copy of each of said statements shall be sent to the county treasurer. It shall be the duty of every |