TAXATION AND REVENUE SYSTEMS—ARIZONA.
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All taxes levied and collected for state purposes shall be paid
into the state treasury in money only.
Sec. 4. The fiscal year shall commence on the 1st day of July
in each year. An accurate statement of the receipts and expendi
tures of the public money shall be published annually, in such
manner as shall be provided by law. Whenever the expenses of
any fiscal year shall exceed the income, the legislature may provide
for levying a tax for the ensuing fiscal year sufficient, with other
sources of income, to pay the deficiency, as well as the estimated
expenses of the ensuing fiscal year.
Sec. 6. Incorporated cities, towns, and villages may be vested
by law with power to make local improvements by special assess
ments or by special taxation of property benefited. For all corpo
rate purposes all municipal corporations may be vested with
authority to assess and collect taxes.
Sec. 9. Every law which imposes, continues, or revives a tax
shall distinctly state the tax and the objects for which it shall be
applied; and it shall not be sufficient to refer to any other law to fix
such tax or object.
Sec. 10. No tax shall be laid or appropriation of public money
made in aid of any church, or private or sectarian school, or any
public sendee corporation.
Sec. 11. The manner, method, and mode of assessing, equalizing,
and levying taxes in the state of Arizona shall be such as may be
prescribed by law.
Sec. 12. The law-making power shall have authority to provide
for the levy and collection of license, franchise, gross revenue,
excise, income, collateral, and direct inheritance, legacy, and suc
cession taxes, also graduated income taxes, graduated collateral
and direct inheritance taxes, graduated legacy and succession
taxes, stamp, registration, production, or other specific taxes.
ARTICLE XI.
Sec. 10. * * * the legislature shall make such appropria
tions, to be met by taxation, as shall insure the proper mainte
nance of all state educational institutions, and shall make such
special appropriations as shall provide for their development and
improvement.
ARTICLE XIV.
Sec. 17. Provision shall be made by law for the payment of a fee
to the state by every domestic corporation, upon the grant, amend
ment, or extension of its charter, and by every foreign corporation
upon its obtaining a license to do business in this state; and also for
the payment, by every domestic corporation and foreign corporation
doing business in this state, of an annual registration fee of not
less than $10, which fee shall be paid irrespective of any specific
license or other tax imposed by law upon such company for the
privilege of carrying on its business in this state, or upon its fran
chise or property; and for the making, by every such corporation,
at the time of paying such fee, of such report to the corporation
commission of the status, business, or condition of such corporation,
as may be prescribed by law. No foreign corporation shall have
authority to do business in,this state until it shall have obtained
from the corporation commission a license to do business in the
state, upon such terms as may be prescribed by law. The legisla
ture may relieve any purely charitable, social, fraternal, benevolent,
or religious institution from the payment of such annual registra
tion fee.
ARTICLE XX.
Fifth. The lands and other property belonging to citizens of the
United States residing without this state shall never be taxed at a
higher rate than the lands and other property situated in this state
belonging to residents thereof, and no taxes shall be imposed by
this state upon lands or property situated in the state belonging to
or which may hereafter be acquired by the United States or reserved
for its use; but nothing herein shall preclude the state from taxing,
as other lands and other property are taxed, any lands and other
property outside of an Indian reservation owned or held by any
Indian, save and except such lands as have been granted or acquired
as aforesaid, or may be granted or confirmed to any Indian or
Indians under any act of Congress, but all such lands shall be
exempt from taxation so long and to such an extent as Congress
has prescribed or may hereafter prescribe.
OFFICERS.
The officers most directly concerned with taxation
are:
(1) The county assessors, elected for a term of two years.
(2) The county treasurer, who is ex officio tax collector.
(3) In incorporated cities an assessor is elected, who is ex officio
tax collector. He is compensated by fees, which are added to the
property taxes and licenses.
(4) The state board of tax commissioners, three persons appointed
by the governor for the first term. All subsequent incumbents of
the office shall be elected at general elections. The commissioners
exercise general supervision of the entire system of taxation through
out the state, prescribe all forms of books used in the assessment
and collection of taxes, superintend the collection.of inheritance
taxes, and appraise and assess all express companies, sleeping car
companies, and private car lines.
(5) The state board of equalization, composed of the chairman of
the corporation commission, the state auditor, and the state tax com
mission; the state auditor is president of the board, and the secretary
of the tax commission is secretary of the board. They also consti
tute the board of assessment for the property of inter-county tele
graph, telephone, and railroad companies.
(6) The county board of equalization, consisting of the board of
supervisors of the county.
(7) The county board of supervisors of three members. The
supervisor receiving the highest number of votes holds the office
for four years; the others for two years.
(8) The city board of equalization, consisting of the mayor and
the council.
(9) The state auditor.
State Revenues.
A. GENERAL PROPERTY T VXES.
1. Base—
a. The property included and exempt.—All property
of every kind and nature whatsoever within the state,
except as specially exempted, is subject to this tax.
(1) Real estate is defined to include the ownership of, or claim to,
or possession of, or right of possession to any land, but it does not
include unpatented mining claims, either lode or placer. Water
ditches constructed for mining, manufacturing, or irrigating pur
poses, telegraph lines, and wagon, turnpike, and toll roads, are
treated as real estate.
(2) Personal property includes all property not included under real
estate. Whenever solvent debts (credits) are assessed, the person
assessed may deduct his liabilities. Shares of stock are declared
to possess no value beyond that of the property of the corporation
for which they stand and are not taxable to the stockholders, but
the property they represent is taxable to the corporation. Bank
stock is excepted from this rule and is taxable to the stockholders.
Property under mortgage or lease shall be listed by and taxed to
the mortgagor or lessor, unless it be listed by the mortgagee or
lessee.
(3) The exemptions are: All Federal, state, county, and munici
pal property; public debts as evidenced by bonds of Arizona, its
counties, municipalities, or other subdivisions; property of educa
tional, charitable, and religious associations or institutions not used
or held for profit; property of resident widows not to exceed