The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-17

inhabitants.
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EOARD OF EQUALIzATION.
Az the recent meeting OF the FARM
ers' Alliance in this city, resolution
was adopted to the effect that a botrd
or boards Of equalization should be Gre
a.ed for the purpose Of assessing prep
erv the value Of the real and personal
property Of the State for taxation. and
his measure was recommended to the
consideration OF the Legislature.
In quite number Of the Northern
Commonwealth a similar law IS III
active operation. Ia the State Of New
York the board Of equalization is com
posed Of the commissioners Of the land
Office and three assessors nominated by
the Governor and appointed by and
with the advice and consent Of the Sen
ate. These assessors arc required
TO visit the different counties Of the
State once IN the course Of every
wo years, aud to prepare a careful
s.a,emout Of such facts observed by them
ss will assist the board in its lsh'eia
lions. The duty Of the board Of equaz
tionis. however, confined TO increaSlA or
diminishing the aggregate valuatiousoi
real estate alone, by adding or deduct
ing such sum as shall, in their opinion,
b. proper and necessary to produce
inst relation between all the valuations
OF real estate that are made. The scope
Of the powers granted to the boards in
other Commonwealth is substantially
the same as the powers allowed in the
New York statute bearing on the came
subject.
There is but one objection to the es-
adjustment of such board with US.
aud this. in the present financial cOndi.
ton of Virginia, is probably Insuperable,
namely: the required increase in outlay
10 Coz Me expense of such board in
the poll. sthe cries. In opposition to
this, 1t MAY Oe SAID that the expense Of
a board of equaliz alton will be met by
the large increase in the amount Of tax
able property subject to higher as
sessment, which would be brought to
light by their supervision of all assess
able values. Instead Of State board g,
paid out Of the Treasury of the Com
mouwealth, there might be boards for
the three divisions of the State, TO be
supported by local taxation, the object
TO be attained being so important to the
different counties as to justify them IN
incurring the expense Of keeping W
these separate boards, the cost of which
would fall lightly upon each individual
county.
The present system Of assessment i.
very unsatisfactory TO the farming in
terests, and we think justly so, as it
throws upon these interests greater
burden Of taxation than they should
properly bear. The declining condition
of these interests is sufficient in itself 70
direct the most ealnest attention to
his question of assessment. We
believe that a Just valuation Of
all taxable property in the State,
while il would show, no doubt.
a great decline IN land, owing to
the ruinous prices prevailing for most
forms of farm produce, would on the
other hand reveal an immense increase
in personal property, large proportion
Of which now escapes taxation. The
personal property Of the farmer is gen.
orally open to observation and detec
ton. but this is not the case with per
sonal property of persons in cities. So
great is the amount lost to the State by
evasion of taxation on personal property
in the towns. that we are disposed to
recommend for adoption the New York
law on this subject, which assesses per
sonal property arbitrarily, throwing
upon the owner the burden Of proving
the injustice of the Assessments.
The question assumes the mort vilsl
importance in the light Of the reassefs-
msnt OF 1890, upon which the future
welfare of the State SO largely depends.
II there are any means of establishing
the board or boards Of equalization
neked for by the farmers SO recently in
convention, without increasing the ex-
penseS Of the State, which is now to be
earnestly deprecated, then the demand
of this long-suffering and grievously-
burdened class should be acceded to by
our present Legislature at the earliest
practicable moment.