Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-03-08
The Recent Assessment of Property IN stanton.

Perhaps no where in the State does the re-.
cent assessment fall SO far behind the real val
ue of the property as here. Stannton is a pros.
porous, thrifty, and growing town. where valu-
able business houses and residences are con
stantly being constructed and Old ones i'm
proved, and yet the assessment recently made
Indicates the reverse, for it shows decrease OF
Szo3 SOB in the value of the property. Every
body knows what the result OF this will be. II
requires certain amount of money to run the
Municipal government, pay the Interest on the
debt, and SO on; and no matter how the prop
erty is assessed this revenue must be raised
Under the old assessment 81 10 just aoous
squared the account; so now, when Mr.. Evans
reduces the taxable values 1888 1893, the Council
will be compelled to raise the taxes to meet the
deficiency which will thus arise and the re-
suit will be, without any fault on the part OF
that body, great injustice to every citizen
in Staunton.
In the first place, to prove how grossly erro
neous the assessment is i will eiva the assessed
value Of few pieces of property by way of il
lustration, and also the prices thew have
brought at sales both public and private. The
Price property, on Main street. occupied b,
Miller as a hardware store is assessed at 90 500
Il was sold few days ago at public auction
Tor u ,5CO, and, undeTs tand, an upset bic has
been put in, SO that it will bring even a higher
price at the next sale. The Shafer pro ,erty
ADJOINING the Mozart Hall and fronting on
Main street, is assessed at s. ieo The rea- nor
tion OF this lot upon which The house is stu
ated, has been sold for 81 POI cash q lot for 81 600
and there is still left another valuable building
iok. On Augusta street opposite the Court.
mouse yard, are two valuable two story store
houses. These stores are assessed at $1,000 for
the two. Recently the owner sold one of them
ior S5WW. hear he has several times refused
So,OOo for the other one The American Hotel,
WIN Inc large and valuable livery stable lot
and lots on front, is assessed at SIS The own.
er recently sold the building for $4,000 reserv-
ing the rest. Store houses in the best business
part OF the town are assessed at from $3.50 to
$780, where the rental value is from $500 to $500
and the fec simple value @ 900 to 5000. Store
houses that will rent for $500 to $500 are assessed
At the same rates as dwelling houses that would
not rent for more than $50 or $500. Any one
who desires to verify these statements has only
TO examine the Assessors books.
Now let us rec what are some of the results
OF this assessment. In the first pl CO, by de-
preciating the value Of property, 1t forces the
council to raise the rate OF taxes. It, in effect.
says: Don't 60 to Staunton That place in
Stead OF improving. is going back wards, The
assessment there shows that the value of the
property has decreased. and the taxes are Sl.25
on every one hundred dollars" DO you think.
you men who have houses to rent, that there is
much In this exhibit to induce business men to
come here? Would a capitalist be Inclined to
come to dead place for the purpose OF paying
high taxes?
Tn1s assessment is oppressive on all who
nave their means not in real estate, but in mer-
camille business. or invested in any other way.
For example: A. owns the Price property: it is
assessed at $500; will rent for 500, and is
worth at least s., 500. The Council Increases. as
have shown they will have to do. the rate of
taxes to Sl.25 per 500. Now, while A = property
is worth 81 800 he is taxed and only pays on
s2.5OO But on the contrary, suppose B. has
$3.50 in any kind of business-as merchant.
1or instance. B. will pay Sl.25 on his whole
w. 3d. while his neighbor, with real estate worth
exactly the same sum, pays taxes on $1,000 less,
because real estate is assessed Sc low
Doubtless, after the people of staunton have
tried this assessment for year-have reflected
upon the inridious distinction it makes between
money invested in real estate and money in
vested otherwise-they will see the necessity of
remedying this evil by equalizing the taxes,
and viii petition the Legislature for new as
sessment. R.