Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-28
THURSDAY. ;. MARCH %. 1879.
FubIic Retrenchment md Economy

The taxpayers Of many OF our counuc'
are demanding lower assessments In order
10 secure lower taxes. Their idea Is ui''
county expenses will be cut down IN pro-
portion to the revenue lost.
Several weeks ago we referred TO 'n'
proce cdings Of some OF the public meet
lngs held IN the Valley. demanding lower
assessments and reductions in county e@'
oenses. and on yesterday We reported
similar meeting held In Prince hoWa.'
In Charlotte county the matter VIII ~
discussed at the next court-day.
IL occurs to us that II Is not quite INV
right thing for public meeting 10 oe'
mand of the land assessors that assess
ments shall be reduced 90. 80. or any
pther fixed per cent. The assessors arc
ms much bound by their oaths OF once
ms the judges upon the benches or 'he
durles in their boxes. They can o"'
respect requests for reductions ""eio
the requests are In accordance WIN INV
facts. Where land is assessed 100 hIs"
a nroper reduction should be MADE. lie
.rue value Is the thing that the as
SCISSOR
found H. his solemnly taken oath OF Of
ice requires that he should so report 1t
Where land Is assessed too 10" Tue
Saluatlon should be raised TO the correct
fgurc.
However. we shall not do our tax
payers the Injustice OF supposing ''a'
they cxncct the assessors TO DO any
M
nur purpose. Yet we submit that feso-
tuition setting forth that certain per
rentarc Of reduction is expected Is hao'e
10 be misunderstood. and VIII almost
yurcly embarrass the assessors IL the
discharge Of their duties.
We would have the lands correctly
ussegsed-nothlng more. nothing less. We
hone that this will be the aim and pur-
nose OF every assessor. Then If we find
that our revenues are going to be cur
,,Io1. we shall have to look around and
Pee where We can retrench expenses
II may he quite possible for the State TO
~reach out AMI find new subjects OF
taxation" wherewith to make good any
loss OF revenue that she may suffer from
counties. This is not a time ~ raise the
sax rate aud for the counties there VIII
g. nothing to do but to rctrench-which
means that the pay of many public ON
RAILS will be reduced. and that less money
will b. spent upon roads, bridges, etc.
Reduced assessments VIII also mean
Shorter school sessions. or poorer pay
for teachers.
A very mischievous impression has
zone abroad over this State that the
present values OF farming lands were
snxed in boom tines This is not the
fact. The boom had but barely begun
an Virginia In 1880. when the present
assessments were made. and the assess
pnents OF farms for 1880 were put down a
good deal lower than 'he assessments
Of 1855. SO instead OF the present rural
assessments being inflated by boom values
tbe figures are considerably lower than
they were In the year lSs5-five years
ahead Of the boom. We stick TO II that
The assessor should pass upon each case
separately, and hold the scales OF justice
evenly between the Commonwealth and
fhe taxpayer; in other words. that
the assessor should be Just and fear not.
II Is also a fallacy with many per-
sons that the farmers of Virginia pay
the bulk OF the taxes for the ma!nte-
nance of our State Government. The
reverse is the fact, and very decidedly
10. Yes, the cities and towns OF Virginia
nay by far the larger amount into the
State Treasury. However that Is by the
way. What we are contending for Is a
rorrect assessment. Whether values sc
I'D or down. let us be able to say that
Che work was honestly and intelligentiy