The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1892-06-09
Report of The County Commission
ers to the Board Of Magistrates
NORTH CAEoLISA,
HALIFAX CoCNTY.

NORTH CAROLINA,
HALIFAX COUNTY.
The Board Of Commissiote- s beg
leave to make tie follo~ repor, to
the honorable Board OF Justices OF
the peace for II slifax county.
According to the last abstrset Of
listed tsxables for Halifax county he
total vslue OF the taxable property
Of ssid county amounted 20 -i,o32,-
O75: the number OF taxable polls las
3,757.
At tue last session Of the assessors
before the taking Of the list for 1871,
this resolution wss passed Ike
solved, tbs, we as assessors maze
general advance in the valuation ct
the the lands OF Halifax county OF
ten per cent. and that we request toe
local boards In their Judgment to
increase or decreasethe value as
circumstances may suggest"
This rule was generally followed,
except in weldon township. where
the increase was considerably more
than the amount suggested In the
resolution. While there has been
considerable criticism OF the asses
sors for adopting and following this
plan. this Board believes that such
| action was wise. Either an increase
had to be provided for or debt
| would necessarily have been created
by this meeting OF your body.
The Board of Commissioners have
not settled in full with the Sheriff.
For several years it has been the
custom to allow the tax-llst 10 re.
| main IN his hands until the succeed
| ing tax-list was ready to be deliver
ell to him, for the reason that large
amount is collected which would not
be collected II he were required to
settle by this meeting. AMI for the
| forther reason that on account OF the
partial failure Of the crops in 1891,
and the low prices for which the
people were compelled to cell the
| product of their labor, it has been
very difficult to collect to the taxes.
A balance has been struck IN che aC-
count with the Sheriff, howevr, and II
is soertained that on account Of the
county Foud there is due The sum of
S4,66S97 which is TO lie credited by
tbe amount of sales of land. For IN
paid taxes, about $4,000, aid also
the estimated insolvent tax list, $3.50
which leaves the sum OF s., 408.97 up
on which to pay the current expenses
Of the county antil the taxes for 1897
commence to be collected. TO this
amount must be added one third oi
of the tax for liquor licences and the
purchase tax to be collected In July
By using the strictest economy the
Board hopes to go to the end of the
fiscal year without deficit
The amount on hand for schoo
purposes as shown by the tax list
1ow in the Sheriff's hauds amounts
to S7,79s.98; this will he subject &c
the insolvent tax-list which is esti
mated to be at the final settlement
not less than $5,200.G0.
| The lnsolvent tax,list on account
lOf the depressed condition OF the
country will he much larger than II
WAS last year. A final settlement
will be had with the Sheriff before
the tax-list for 1892 Is placed IN his
hands.
| For the coming levy, the State
levies on the 800 worth Of property
for State purposes 43cts; On eeCl
fpoll $1.29. This leaves for the pur
pose of defraying the expenses o
the county, provided you shall levy
the cons titutional limit, i. e. 669 cts
on the 500 worth Of property anC
,lS2 on the poll, 2ss cents anC
IN CITE, respectively. For tb'
coming year, it will be necessary for
1.-THE county to have this smonnt u
Iorder TO meet it's expenses. The
Board therefore recommends that tht
constitutional limit be levied, anC
THAT the same taxes be levied on sub
Ijects in schedules "B" and &C" O
the Revenue Act as is levied TO
State purposes, except upon licenses
to sell liquor, and IL that case that .!
fmuch as 90 per centum of the amopu'
as fixed by the State be levied 10 as
sist 10 defraying the expenses Of The
County. Upon purchases Of liquor
the Board recommends that Of one
per centom be levied thereon 70,