The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-03-23
VICTORY ASSURED.
Commissioner Kimmsll Comes of the
Perch" and Promises Taxes VIII Not
Be Increased this Year
REAL ESTATE Dows-rAxEs UP.

bility for which must rest upon the
shoulders OF Geo. Z. Kimmsll, of infiat-
ing the valuation OF all property subject
20 county taxation. us been halted by
the exposure made through the columns
of the HERALD. and the grateful sssur-
anee that taxation will not be increased
now comes from the commissioner
Office.
What object Commissioner Kimmell
had in view, when he declined to accept
the retarns of various assessors, who
were sworn 70 value the taxable property
in their respective districts at such rates
as they believed they would sell at a bona
fide sale, until after they had materially
increased the valuations originally re-
turned, must remain matter of conject-
ure. And the object of the same official
in adding 10, %. or 30 per cent TO the
valuations conseientiously returned by
the assessors must also remain q matter
of conjecture. That both were done has
been amply demonstrated during the
past two weeks by hundreds of angry
taxpayers who have visited Somerset at
great personal expense and inconvenience
for the purpose of protesting against the
arbitrary action Of the Commissioners
Office.
The valuations returned by the asses
sors who made the triennial assessment
for 1898 aggregate over 81. .OOO. 900. or 81,
10000 more than ever before was return
ed in the county. But in view of this
tremendous increase Commissioner Kim
NELL added from 10 to 20 per cent. addi-
tional in nearly every district, thus swell
ing the total county valuation to over
Sl20O0,OO0. This was done too with a
full knowledge of the fact that farming
lands have greatly deprecated in value
in every district in the county. 1t is,
therefore, not surprising that hundreds
of farmers woke up to find that their tax
able property had been assessed at a
figure largely in advance of its actual
value and far in advance of its cost.
Aggrieved taxables have visited the
commissioners Office in great numbers
for the purpose of appealing from the
valuation placed upon their property.
and in every instance the percentage
added by the commissioners has been re-
moved, aud in great many instances the
valuations returned by the assessors have
been materially reduced.
Could greater farce and outrage be
conceived. In the first place the tax
payers of the county were put to addi-
tional and unnecessary expense in order
to have the assessors initiate valuations,
and afterwards they were compelled to
come to Somerset at personal expense
and Inconvenience for the purpose of
securing the rights accorded them under
the laws of the State. Hundreds of tax
ables would have remained at home, sat
isfied TO pay tax on the valuation assess
ell against their property by the asses
sors, but when they found that Commis-
sioner Kimmeil had placed an additional
burden upon them they were righteously
indignant and their vigorous protests
reverberated throughout the temple OF
justice.
That Commissioner Kimmell has not
been insensible 20 the indignation he has
created throughout the county by his
official ofIiciousness, is manifest by card
he has published addressed "To the Tax
ables of Somerset County," in which he
says: There is no necessity for an in
crease of taxes and there will be no in
crease, aud it was never intended there
should be-"
In the name of high heaven. what was
intended? Why were assessors urged 10
raise valuations after they had made
their sworn returns? Why was an addi
tional percentage added 70 the assessors
returns? Did Commissioner Kimmell
hope b increase DIS reputation as tax
reformer by raising the valuation on de-
preciating property, or did he propose to
hoOdwink the taxables by swelling val
uations and reducing the county millsge.
Mr.. Kimmell admits that the county
receipts last year were more than suifi-
cieat to meet the expenditures, and adds
that there is no necessity for increased
revenue in 1893 and more will not be
levied. lie has also acceded TO the HER
AIDS demand and promises to remove
the percentage in all districts where the
same were added in the commissioners
Office, without compelling taxpayers to
visit the county seat for the purpose of
protesting against the same.
The truth OF the matter is that Commis-
sioner Kimmell has been playing buncO
game. and now that he has been exposed,
he has no excuse to offer for his over
zealousness. unless he hugs the delusiou
81, . ~ D -.
next annual itemized bill for services
when they see the number of days he has
charged the county for attending ap-
peals."
Another Inconsistency on the part OF
Commissioner Kimmell is illustrated by
his conduct in regard TO the assessment
of his home district OF Milford. When
Assessor Critchtield made his return Mr..
Kimmell declined to accept it and indi-
Gated with pencil, after the name of
few, If not all of the taxables Of that dis
trict, the sums which he thought they
should be assessed. Assessor CritchfielG
declared that be had made his return
under oath and would not raise the val
uatiOns of his constituents higher than
he conscientiOusly believed they should
be. Mr.. Kimmell insisted that he should
take his report home with him and vol
unteered the information that he would
be literally compensated f5rths trouble
he would be at in increasing the valua-
tions suggested. Assessor Critchfield was
obdurate and left his report at the Com
missioners' Office as originally made out.
An appeal day was fixed for the taxables
of Mother Milford to be heard. A mum
Der of them came TO Somerset ON the day
advertised, only to find that the notifica-
tion slips had never been forwarded TO
the Assessor and that none Ofthe taxables
of the township bad official knowledge
OF the valuation placed upon their prop
erty. Milford will be heard from another
day.
What motive prompted Commissioner
Kimmell TO urge a higher valuation on
his old friends and neighbors than the
assessor returned under oath? What
reason can he assign for wishing the as
sessor to assume responsibility which he
was unwilling to take upon himself?
And in the end why was be willing TO see
an additional percentage placed upon
his neighbors and friends in the adjoin-
ing townships, which be has so far failed
to place upon the farmers of good old
Mother Milford?
We indulge the hope that Mr.. Kimmell
will religiously keep his promise to keep
taxes as low as they were last year. and