Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-11-17
TO THE LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA,

The Petition Of the Trustees and Citizens
Of Martinsbrg. Berksl-y County respect.
fully represents:
That by an act Of your honorable boly passed.
on the 9th Of February, 1919, in the third secien
of said act, it was enacted that among the powers,
the Trustees Of the town should have the power
ITO dssess taxes on the inhabitants and all proper
/ ty within the bounds Of said town for the purro.
ses aforesaid, and such other purposes as they
shall think ft for the benefit OF said town--Pie.
| rided that the assessments and taxes Aforesaid
shall not exceed serenty.fre cents upon each It'll
cable and frf per cent on the amount ofthe ANIMAL
RENTS Of real property within said town, in any
one year, agreeabiy 10 Tie BOOKS OF the coxais.
sioSEn or THE REvExur in Berks,eg County,
Under this act Of Assembly the Trustees Of The
town have for near forty years levied their taxes
upon the rental Of the town property following
the books cfthe Commissioners Of the Revenue
Yet as is known to your honorable body, change
has now been made in the mode Of assessing Taxes
1.-The adj valorem standard being substituted ior
the assessed rental Your petitioners nre unable
to levy the town taxes on property, because The
books of the Commissioner afford no returns Or
statementof the rental, the Trustees have no au.
thority rs they are advised to make an assessment
themselves. Even IL under the most liberal con-
struction Of their chartered rights, they might
have the power TO collect per cent levied On th.
former books Of the Commissioners, that tax would
not be equable or uniform--for the rents have 10.
creased in value and new houses have been erected
since they were made out, which would thus BE-
exempt from taxation--And upon no construction
OF their corporate powers can they find poWGla
make an assessment themselves, by their officers
And they therefore respectfully pray your legs.
lative aid in this behalf--that these powers b
granted to them by an act of your body--and o.
soon, as in your dligent attention to the wants o.
the people, it can be done--for they are at thi'
time unable to meet past engagements or rarryou
needful repairs 10 the Streets, Alleys and Public
Buildings under their care.
While this unex pected barrier Is one calling 0r
legislative aid. there are other amendments which
are needed and the want Of which have long been
FELT. While they do not desire, nor ask for Law
of Incorporation, nor for Borough Courts, and the
Corporation powers Of % Mayor and Common Coun.
cil--being satisfied that the well-being Of their
town will be better subserved by Government
through Trustees Yet the want Of an t)6cra
Police, is felt every day more and more.
Their town has nearly doubled In populaticn
since the census Of ls4o--public improvements
passing through 1t and terminating here, have
added considerably to the ancient stationary pop.
ulafion and great evil has resulted from want u
a power in the Town Government to enforce is Bye
Lars. The morals oftheir community have suf
fered from this cause
They see NO objection to law giving to The
Trustees the powers of Justices ofthe Psace TO
force those regulations for the good order Of their
population which is now vested in County Magis-
trates-who having other duties to perform and
knowing nothing Of tho mischief to be guarded
against--have ever been found inefficient to make
proper examples Of offenders, Or TO act zealeusly
in keeping good order, and enforcing police rega
lations Your petitioners do not ask for any civil
jurisdiction in matters Of debt or suits for dams.
ges--bnt Pogsrs as ConsUpafors Of fhe Peses, 70
bind over and enforce penalties, enacted under the
present chartered rights and necdfu! powers Dc.
longing to the Trustees Of the town. as at present
existing, TO avoid the cumbrous tand as expe'
rience shows inefficient plan Of depending upon
the County Justices, some such law rs In your W.
dom win vest in the Town Authorities powers
enforce their Bye-Laws and preserve the psas
and good order Of the communityis what thg
ask, and all that they respectfully fray 70 y
granted to the Trustees as at present organM
The justices and County Courts are sufficient 'e
all civil pleas and the examination of offences pun
ishable BY Indictment, Sc, but your h9ncraos
body win see by q printed copy of the Dye.An
of the Trustees that there are many minor aaencs
against good order and peace that cannot y, sns
never have been enforced for lack ofths auts's'
now prayed fer