John E. Young Chairman of the Commission JOHN R. SPRING Appointed Chairman and qualfied by taking the prescribed oath of office September 17, 1926 620400 REPORT CONCORD, N. H., December 15, 1926. The state tax commission herewith submits its sixteenth annual report containing the various statistical tables of valuation, taxes and finances required by law. The total valuation of the property taxed locally in the state has increased from $597,035,634 April 1, 1925 to $620,524,212 April 1, 1926, an increase of $23,488,578. The amount of taxes assessed locally has increased from $16,781,283.84 to $17,063,655.25, an increase of $282,371.41. The average tax rate is $2.67 as against $2.69 in 1925. Had no increase in valuation been made the average rate would have been about $2.86 per hundred. Considering the heavy losses in valuation due to closing down of industrial plants and reduction of stocks of merchandise, it is probable that had no revaluation been made the rate would have been about $3.00 per hundred. The credit for the immense amount of work involved in the revaluation of towns resulting in the large increase of $23,488,578 belongs mainly to the selectmen and assessors, with what advice and assistance this commission has been able to give. To those boards of selectmen and assessors who have so ably assisted in this work we hereby express our thanks. The number of horses decreased from 40,974 in 1925 to 38,105 in 1926. Their value per head decreased from $95.89 to $91.21. The number of oxen decreased from 1131 in 1925 to 915 in 1926, but increased from $86.26 per head to $93.98 per head. The number of cows decreased from 81,519 in 1925 to 76,794 in 1926; the value per head increased from $52.95 to $57.44. The valuation on fur bearing animals increased from $47,660 to $78,167. Neat stock decreased in numbers from 12,457 to 11,149. The number of sheep taxed in New Hampshire increased from 13,560 to 14,413, value per head increased from $7.87 to |