The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-03-04
fixes.

TAXES.
We would beg leave to CALI the atten-
ton of the Legislature to the inconyen-
fence to which Tax Payers are put, in
being compelled to travelloug distances
in the County to pay Taxes, and recon-
mend that a law be passed compelling
the Treasurer to visit the various Town
ships, or at other convenient points for
collecting Taxes.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
In regard to the, County Commission.
er's Office, the Grand Jury report that
they examined the Books of the New
Board who have only been in Office a
few Months, and found that they had
proper vouchers iJf tie o.dors they had
given on the County Treasurer, a large
number Of which were to assessors. The
Jury is Informed that there are "a AS
SCISSORS appointed to assess the property
OF this County, each one of whom for a
little over a months work, draws from
$3.50 to $500, being an expense to the
County yearly of about $4,000, for sim
ply doing what under the old Tax Law,
was done by the County Treasurer, as a
part Of his regular business, aud which
could in the opinion of the Grand Jury,
be Sill done by the County Treasurer,
without shch an enormous cost to the
County, as during a large portion of the
year he has nothing else to do. In addi-
ton to the enormous expense entailed up
on The County By the appointment Of these
"a Assessors, many of whom are ignorant
and entirely incompetent for the duties
of the Office, the Grand Jury have seen
that the Assessments or the valuations of
property made by these "a Assessors,
are based upon no rule but the wild i'm
agiuation of the different Assessors, and
when all the Assessments are BROUGHT
into the County Auditors Office, the
County Board of Equalization by way
of remedying all incongruisies raise the
Tax on every ouc's property which has
asrepdy been put at 5 tiuaes its value.
, 400 per cesa.-ead
Constitution Of the State which SAYS
in Art. III SO, "AlItTaxcs upon proper
~ real or personal, shall be laid upon
the actual value of the property Taxed,
as the same shall be ascertained by an
Assessment nade for the purpose of lay
ing such Tax"
From every portion of the County, is
heard the universal groan of the people
under the burden of this heavy Taxation,
aud this fictitious value put upon prop
erty by the County Auditor aud his as
%sistants. The Grand Jury cannot in
this report, SO into details, but many in
stances have been brought to their mo-
tice, where parties have bought land,
both at private aud at public sales, say
for $1,000, and the County Auditor the
next day values it for Taxation at 3, 4,
u htS thUQoilu uOlluTS.
Their object Is plain, the Last
Board of County Commissioners conduc-
ted the public business in such reckless
style, that u proper valuation Of proper
ty, would not raise Taxes enough to
meet the enormou draft on the County
Treasurer esuscd by their extravaganza,
hence the Taxes are raised by the Coun-
ty Board Of Equalization, to meet this
! large demsnt. The Grand Jury would
recommend that this expensive aud in
efficient system of Assessment of propcr
~, be brought to the attention of the
Legislature with the request that the
number OF Assessors be reduced, or that
the duty be imposed on the County AUDI
tor or Treasurer, and thereby suve the
enormous expenditure OF the Public
Money.
The Grand Jury have rot had sufi-
cient tiuic To make u thorougta examinn-
ton OF the Books OF the County Officers.
especially tire hist Board ot County Com.
n%iissioncrs. But from what we have
heard and seen, we are induced to ask
your Honor to appoint "a Committee of,
say five Of this Grand Jury, who shall
make G thorough examination of the
Books aud into the workings of the said
County Officers, ana make their report
10 your Honor at the May Term of this
Honorable Court.
JOHN +. RILEY,
Foreman.