A. All taxable property must be assessed at its true and full value and all assessments shall be uniform and equal and based upon the actual value of the property assessed.
B. The city assessor shall annually assess and list on a tax roll all real and personal property in the name of the person by whom it is owned on the first day of January. If no owner or claimant to the property can be discovered, the property shall be assessed to the unknown owner.
C. The assessor shall complete the listing for the annual assessment roll of all real and personal property within the limits of the city before July 1 of each year. Provided, however, the assessor may list undiscovered omitted personal property to be included on a supplemental tax roll. The listing of all taxable property may be made upon permanent separate ledger cards which will be the combined assessment roll and tax ledger. Real property shall be assessed to the owner of record as shown in the records of the deputy magistrate for the State of Alaska; provided, however, that any other person having an interest in the property may be listed on the assessment records with the owner. The person in whose name any property is listed as owner thereof shall be conclusively presumed to be the legal owner of record. If the owner of the land is unknown, such land may be assessed to an "unknown owner" or "unknown owners". No assessment shall be invalidated by a mistake, omission or error in the name of the owner of the real property assessed, if the property is correctly described.
D. The assessor may list real property located in any subdivision by lot and block or tract description, and unsubdivided property according to the land office section and township survey description, or by giving the boundaries thereof, or by reference to the book and page of the records of the deputy magistrate where the description of tax lot number referring to a public record kept by the assessor of descriptions of real property, or in such other manner as to cause the description to be capable of being made certain. Initial letters, abbreviations, fractions and exponents to designate the township, range, section or part of a section or the number of any lot or block or part thereof, or any distance, course, bearing or direction, may be employed in any such description of real property.
E. Every person shall submit to the assessor a personal property return of any property owned by him, or in which he has an interest, and of the property held or controlled by him in a representative capacity, in the manner prescribed in this chapter, which return shall be based on property values existing as of January 1 of the year in which the return is made. The person making the return in every case shall state address to which all notices required to be given to him under this chapter may be mailed or delivered. The return shall show the nature, quantity, description, and amount and value of all personal property, the place where the property is located, and said return shall be in such form and include such additional information as the council may prescribe, and shall be signed and verified under oath by the person liable or his or its authorized agent or representative. Said return shall be billed on or before January 15 of each year. The assessor may, by notice in writing to any person by whom a return has been made, require from him further return containing additional details and more explicit particulars, and upon receipt of the notice, that person shall comply fully with its requirements within 30 days.
F. The assessor personally, or by any designated assistant, shall, after identifying themselves, have the right to enter upon and inspect the premises of any person at reasonable times for the purpose of making an examination, valuation or assessment of either or both real and personal property. He shall have access to and may examine all property records involved, and any person shall, upon request, furnish to the assessor or his assistant every facility and assistance for the purpose of such examination, valuation or assessment. The assessor shall not be bound to accept as correct the return made by any person, but if he thinks it necessary or expedient, or if he suspects that a person who has not made a return has property subject to taxation, he shall make an independent investigation as to the property of that person, and may make his own valuation and assessment of the taxable amount thereof, which shall be prima facie evidence for all legal purposes and proceedings.
G. The assessor may examine a person on oath or otherwise, and upon request of the assessor, the person shall present himself for examination by the assessor.
(Ord. 77-01 (part), 1977)