The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-10-15
Convention OF County Commissioners.

The convention of county commission
ers, which was in session at HARRISBURG
during last week, expressed itself upor
various topics in which all the taxpay
ers OF the State are interested. The
+ committee on uniformity of practice
under existing laws submitted a report
which, though some portions of it met
with considerable opposition, W as adopt
! ed. as follows:
/ l. That carriages used for business
( purposes should not he assessed as pleas.
! ura carriages.
2. That under the revenue act of 1885
! relative to personal property. that the
blanks for taxahles to furnish state
ments be served on every male citizen
over the age OF 2l years aud every fe-
male whom they have reason to believe
is the owEer of such property taxable.
3 That the present system of taxing
occupations in many counties is unjust
and inadequate and that the cOmmis-
siODers of the several counties should
endeavor to remedy the same as far as
lies IN their power.
3. That uniform demand should be
made Ou the commonwealth in the set
tlement Of State taxes for the following
credits
I. The abatement of per cent. al
lowed for prompt payment within sixty
ddvs, as required by the act of 1885
II. The collection fee as required by
said act
III. All extra expense which was in
CURED by the counties in assessment
and collection of the same.
Y. That no assessor should receive
pay for attending the polls on election
dav as assessor.
VI. That the attention of the com
missiOneIs of the several counties be
called to a more rigid enforcement of
the forestry laws. especially to that Dor.
tIon of the same as refers 70 the protec-
tion IF forests, acts of 1860, 1863 1870
and 1879.
The committee on legislation pre-
pared a bill to be presented to the next
legislature, the substance of which is
contained in the following recommen-
datlons
l. a law for the election of an asses
sOT for three years and two assistants
for one year in each voting district. yo
ters to vote for but one assistant as
SCISSOR.
missioner, the Ommis siOnerS. Judge and
sheriff 10 do the work.
3. That after 1886 half of the tax
collected on money At interest, mort
cages, etc, to be retained for county
purposes.
4 Repeating the bounty scalp act.
D. commissioners to pay legal fees
and mileage of witness in behalf of the
common wealth where there is d convic.
tiOu or a plea of guilty entered and in
cases where a forfeited recogniZance is
collected.
6. Fixing mileage at six cents per
mile circular.
Z. R-quir;ng assessors to revise the
Transcripts of the next preceding
assessment as transmitted to them by
the city or county commissioners 10
April. instead of in June.
5. Fixing commissioners pay at So. so
per day and six cents per mile mileage.
9. Compelling turnpike companies TO
repair bridges.
10. That after April l. 1898, all prop
erty, both real and personal, shall be
taxable at the price or value it would
sell al a bona fide sale.
The committee on revision of taxes
found the matter too vast for settlement
IN the brief and hurried consultation Oe
a committee meeting and subm tied the
following very modest report
our committee TO whom was referred
the revision of the tax laws respectfully
report that they have had submitted to
them by members of the convention nm
merOus resolutions suggesting marked
Changes IN our tax laws-mauy of which
were considered pertinent, and which
met with the approval of the committee.
The committee, however, after full
debate and mature deliberation, are
fully convinced that so vast a subject.
ana question requiring so much care
ful consideration as the revision of our
tax laws, cannot be property treated in
the limited time allowed by this conVen-
tlon. That to attempt a revision under
the circumstances would be but to pro-
woke a lengthy debate and 70 but
little purpose, and at best would he but
an incomplete undertaking.
The committee are further of the
opinion that one OF the great evils of
oul present tax system is that it has
been tlnkered too much, ard that there
should be complete revision and a
sym metrical system adopted.
Ihe committee, therefore, unite in
that a committee be ap.
polnUed by this convention, whose duty
1t shall be, after ascertainlnp from the
different boards of commissioners
throughout the State their views in wri-
ting uDon existing evils under oEr tax
laws, to present in proper form to his
the governor, the grievances
with the request that a
commission be appointed To
revise the tax system of our common
wealth.
L our committee further recommend
that the Importance OF the commission
referred to be urged upon all candidates
for the legislature throughout the
State.
Cornelius Bixler, Daupbin Samuel
M. Meyers, Lancaster Wm ]. Burke
BacKa wanna Giles D. Price. Erie
Thomas Mercer, Chester; J. o. Rhoads
Schuylkill Oliver p. Barton, Juniata :
William b. Meyer, Lehigh and F. W
Craighead, Cumberland. were aIpointe1
a committee, as suggested in the revi
sion committees report, to which was
referred the report of the committee on
genera! Legislation.
Some of the recommendations of the
Will doubtless excite the on
position of the reader; Others will be
approved. That suggesting the aboIi-
lion of the Office of jury commissioner
IS a good one and ought to be favorablv
considered by the Legislature. The law
creating this Office was we'll meant. out
t has failed to accomplish the intention
Of its authors and it ought to be OK.
plunged from the statute books.