Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-28
The work ef the l.aaA Assesser..

Tho work Of the Land Assessers.
The Norfolk Landmark says that the
last assessment upon real estate In that
city was made In 1890 when there was
what was then called q boom. which,
being interpreted. means an imaginary
value upon property" and It argues that
to have the easements. now being made,
unduiy high win naturally tend to keep
rents Ma and win keep investors away.
Holders Of real property will endeavor
to get rents commensurate with their
taxes, while renters win not be inclined
10 pay them. when everything else 10
lower In price than formerly. II would
be better 10 increase the rate Of taxation
than to have anything like a fictitious
value on property as the basis OF taxa
tion." In short, the Landmark says.
there are no boom values aow. and
there should certiniy be no boom as
sessments. It is well worth while for the
commissioners to keep this In mind. and
be governed accordingly. They may per-
haps, be doing co.
The Landmarks suggestions are OF
general application, and are timely ana
wise. We suspect that 1t feels more
than ever bound 10 Speak out In meet
Ing since II knows very well that IN
nearly all Of the counties OF this STATE
the taxpayers are demanding (and get
ting a reduction Of their assessments.
In Augusta county one farmers club mas
suggested that the reduction should be
go per cent! That club has evidently
adopted the motto of Captain Martin
Meredith Lipscomb, Of this city-"Strike
high, II you lose your hatchet."
We cannot believe that the members
OF the club expect any such reduction
In the assessments OF Augusta-county
lands. but we are sure that they do
expect some reduction. And. what Is
more. they expect that their county ex-
penses will be reduced. so as to fall with
IN the county's decreased revenues. This
Is an important point Make a note OF
II.
The taxpayers know very well that
they wouldn't be gamers IL the assessed
values were put down and the tax-rate
put up. oh, no; they are too smart Tor
that.
The thing for the assessors to do Is
the right thing" They should put the
true value on all the property they as
sess. They should do their duty fear
lessiy under their oaths Of Office. Where
lands have been assessed too low, the
true value should he put upon them'
notwithstanding the fact that the UNI
LIBERALIZATION in question may have con-
tlnued upon the land-books for many
wears. Where lands and lots are too
high. they should be reduced in valuation
Justice should be done-justice between
Virginia and her taxpayers; between
county and county, city and city, country
and town.
II this course be pursued (and we GER
tainly have the right to expect that IL
will be pursued. when We remember tnat
nm assessor is as much under oath as
any Judge or juror, We do not believe
that the grand total of assessments In
Virginia for 1895 will fall OF very much,
as compared with 1890. Un1er such cir
as we have mentioned the
loss that would fall upon our State Trea-
sury could be made up BY reaching new
subjects OF taxation. AS for the cities
and counties, they could determine, each
for itself whether 1t would raise its
tax-rate or cut expenses.