Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-06-03
THE STATE TAXES.

LII OUT ldSG ISSUE WdS d CUuuCueCO ot1tO1iOuu vi
the probable taxes to be raised in this county
We propose now to prepare similar statement Of
the taxes to be paid in the entire State, getting
our facts mainly from the Charleston Neaos:
The real property returned by the District AS
SCISSORS was valued at SIC, l25,020. The Board Of
Equalization has raised this amount, by varying ad
ditions to the several county returns, to sl25 Ill.,
OsS. The return of personal property is $3S,S5l,-
254, which is unchanged by the Board, making
the total taxable value of all property in the State
$l64,O22, 342. This return is very much below
Governor Scott's estimate, of $500, 600, 900, and
considerably less than $500, 100000, which is the
proper value according to the Neaos.
Still it is large enough to admit of raising
revenue ofsl, $780, 16S, just s23O,l6S more than Is
allowed by the Appropriation bill, which was adop-
ted by the last Legislature and signed by the Gov
ernor. This law expressly limits the total amount
to be assessed, not to exceed one million dollars
This tax (of 81, ,23l,l6 is raised by fixing the
rate of taxation at threequarters of one per cent
or seventy.fve cents for every hundred dollars OF
the amended assessment. .-.. =, =
The principle on which the Board acted in in
creasng the value of real estate: is one Of those
arithmetica mysteries which can not be discovered
by any manipulations of the figures by experts in
that science. As it was hardly fair to increase all
alike, when there was so great difference in the
returns, the Board wisely abstained from an aver
age increase for all. 1t may be that they have
stumbled upon the expedient Of assessing each
county at the average rate between its own high
est and lowest return This supposition is neces-
sarily involved in fog, and isjust as apt to be
wrong as right. But neither this nor any other
averaging is just for its only effect is to make
those who have returned the full value OF their
property, pay higher tax than they ought; while
those, if any, who have returned their property
below its value, are rewarded by paying less than
their full share of tax at last The just and prop
er method of rectiing such wrong returns is to re-
assess every taxpayer on his own merits. .This
we believe, would have been too tedious and expen-
sive to be tried this year. The simplest plan thep
was to increase the rate of taxation from three
quarters Of one per cent to such a per cent as
would have secured the tax from the returns hand
ed in. .> ..
We do not see any advantage to be gained from
this beating of his Satanic Majesty around the
stump, unless it be intended to make the people
believe they are paying less tax than they really
are But this deluson is not likely to blind any
but a few tax payers for through the negroes ex-
Exemption from taxation, it results that the vast
majority of taxpayers possess fair education,
however the case may stand as to the voters. 1t
is true, three-quarers of one per cent sounds less
than one and quarter of one; but this is no great
advantage when both rates yield the same tax.
We copy from the Neacs list of the per centage
added in each county, from which We observe that
York has been "fned" at just about an average
figure. Seyenty-fve per cent, or three-fourths Of
the first return, must be added to each mans re-
turn of real property, to show his tax. The per-
sonal property remaining unchanged, those who
remember their returns may figure out their taxes
without assistance. Add three-fourths to your
real property return, then add the return of per-
sonal property, and calculate seventyve cents for
every hundred dollars of the total amount. This
will give the State tax and by adding thirty cents
for every hundred dollars, the probable county tax
will be obtained.
But to the table: The per cent. of increase in Alb
beville was 100 per cent !; Anderson, so; Barnwel,
40; Beaufort, SO; Charleston -City-4th District,
25 5th District, lOO 9th District, 5O 7th District
100; Chester, 100; Chesterfield, $50; Clarendon,
100; Colleton 100; Darlington, so; Edgefeld, $50
Fairfield, 50; Georgetown, 50; Greenville, 100;
Horny, 100; Kershaw, 2OO Lancaster, SO; Lau-
rens so; Lexington, so; Marion, POO; Marlboro =,
50; Newberry, So Oconee, 100; Orangeburg,
300; Pickens, 25; Richland Columbia, lst Dis
trict, 25 End District, none Sd District noue 4th
District, SO; Spartanburg, 100; Sumter, so; Un-
ion, 100; Williamsburg, 25; York, IS.