The department of revenue shall:

(1) Exercise general supervision and control over the administration of the assessment and tax laws of the state, over county assessors, and county boards of equalization, and over boards of county commissioners, county treasurers and county auditors and all other county officers, in the performance of their duties relating to taxation, and perform any act or give any order or direction to any county board of equalization or to any county assessor or to any other county officer as to the valuation of any property, or class or classes of property in any county, township, city or town, or as to any other matter relating to the administration of the assessment and taxation laws of the state, which, in the department’s judgment may seem just and necessary, to the end that all taxable property in this state shall be listed upon the assessment rolls and valued and assessed according to the provisions of law, and equalized between persons, firms, companies and corporations, and between the different counties of this state, and between the different taxing units and townships, so that equality of taxation and uniformity of administration shall be secured and all taxes shall be collected according to the provisions of law.

(2) Formulate such rules and processes for the assessment of both real and personal property for purposes of taxation as are best calculated to secure uniform assessment of property of like kind and value in the various taxing units of the state, and relative uniformity between properties of different kinds and values in the same taxing unit. The department of revenue shall furnish to each county assessor a copy of the rules and processes so formulated. The department of revenue may, from time to time, make such changes in the rules and processes so formulated as it deems advisable to accomplish the purpose thereof, and it shall inform all county assessors of such changes.

(3) Visit the counties in the state, unless prevented by necessary official duties, for the investigation of the methods adopted by the county assessors and county boards of commissioners in the assessment and equalization of taxation of real and personal property; carefully examine into all cases where evasion of property taxation is alleged, and ascertain where existing laws are defective, or improperly or negligently administered.

Construction—Severability—1975 1st ex.s. c 278: See notes following RCW 11.08.160.