The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-18

s..,o last year, Governor Sayers
\, \ say of the necessity lor a re- e,
PIX Il, laws. So good were the
ava for correcting the existing
wh,ch many property owners
IN to eyade assessmeh, ina, .n'
,b.nee at once became dom-
mhsn the Twenty sixth legisla-
!, response to the popular demand
~ IN the premises, created by the
ns~ ,,unairn utterances, 1t passed an
Y. ,,x commission upon which was
'a, auty to thoroughly examine the
-.,,,, n law and regulations now IN
s.,,,re the raising of public revenue
!. ...,ssment and collection of taxes,
and municipal and the method
~, therefor, and OF disbursns
,bs various officers charged there
IA further, providing that said
lam shah have authority to investt-
4 ,rdred topics of legislation and to
-.,n such measures as to them shall
ansbls.'
vnpose this commission the legislature
,,h. governor. the comptroller of State
(, STATE revenue agent, who were to be
"a NJ fourth commissioner to be APP
4 N The governor Ex-senator o. b.
nj tAo had filled ont an unexpired
!, STATE revenue agent, under Culberson.
4, Ia. given much study to the ques-
,,spg governmental revenue, was
~ chosen for the fourth place.
commission began work last summer
srpl,,ed its labors in the latter part OF
vnber.
,,rirr been facility understood when the
R,vre passed the tax commission hill that
a,n session would be called for the pur-
/ tpseng into law such reforms as the
sh,iou might recommend, the result OF
atrs has been put into print in the shape
,tal amending title l0i, and acts amend
iheiect. Of the Revised Civil Statutes.
MI Is accompanied by lengthy report
ws!a Is condensed the experience of other
b in matters Of taxation. The most sue
IL methods Of distributing the cost of
mnsnt equally are analysed and the
Iusssns reasons, fortified by an imposing
n VI court decisions. for the legislation
zrsnded are given Report and bill were
n out by the public printer today and
uia for the hrst time made public.
a hereof are being mailed TO members
" legislature and to the press in order
Or contents may be digested by the
Rii's and become a matter of general
vhtls before the extra session, which
heaed In the latter part OF January,
sfns ny.
% opening Of Its report the commission
Fsss itself as follows:
W rate is uniform" for State pur-
Nis 'unlmorm within the county fol-
~ purposes; il Is uniform" within Tho
v@Fn Tor city or town purposes. Blu
nAtaon Of the same kind oil property i.
sualY Under the present practice any.
lne State. 1t is usually listed a
~ ine assessor will receive IL. IL /!
w 70 BE- taxed in proportion to IT,
=, ,len snail be ascertained as may b,
n. " law. But the law is dehcicn
Eause It provides 10 method OF ascer
- we proportion of its value. This il
49, me discretion OF the board of equal
eaen county, the Constitution desig
We county commissioners court al
~ peiieye that article OF our pres
sssaIulon ought 10 he amended so tina
w Es'em OF equalization of taXabl
az pe enacted by succeeding legis
We are aware that IA constitutions
IVY san not be submitted at a specia
we legislature, but this obserya
-. hete because We deem IL timely
III ~. suopuon OF the Constitution IN ISL
u. ~ made great development. Tn
,s. haauon was framed, evidently, I
n tInst an abuse of the taxing powe
II sns'ure. Tor the people of the Stat
. Nnuessed the conduct of the legisla
s,np,lng certain property interests
\ s ~ mat the State can and ought /
M nssehue mainly from sources nc
Il, ~ ~ .ouhties, cities and towns. Thi
mi uone by an amendment to articl
ua.,,n uiq aiiow q separation OF the lev
m , NY. u the State revenues from tn
II now costs the State ~ pc
ts,r,,rns.,,ehue TO assess and collect it,
h.as sSVoh would permit, all the reve
i ,sra support the State governmer
Va .,ed through the comptroller
,nsa nI increase OF the present ca
IA ny y,auuctlng that department. Fo
suie tax $i3l, 69i. By an amendment
a'uo permit the separation of III
tfs .vunty tax In their assessment an
~ AZ ue SLATE could levy certain form
MY particular interests which woul
" w. by the counties, recurring I'll
MN .r % the comptroller or treasure
MA ~ oiher real or personal proper,
III. n,o ~ tne counties. This would r,
IA mpv.y or the State of a consider
y, ~ = now being paid out for con
n assessing and collecting III
n cmr;,a,sa.sr the present taxing artic
ahrsunsu each county has q boar
tDon !, and there is no equality In ii
tss,.,u same character OF properi
Rttp, sounties OF the State. Und,
II M LISTEN a citizen In one count
M ~ 1perty for taxation at 80 cen
t,i ss, me BOARD of equalization wou
NJ ornnove the rendition. But in a
nms tnat citizens brother mig
Nj ~ M VI the identical property,
% ia NY same kind and identical
~ fiji .enls on the dollar or at 1
h mnss ue, thus being required to pr
\ Biz ~ state tax on the same pro
M to,'. .o.her who lived In the FIR
sboSnv The number Of inciden
lls taeh Illustration Is perhaps {
Mnhs. year under the present syste
y nsnyp " counties in the State. al
" ~ e several counties. AS far. ther
n ,se ~ State tax ross nothing mo
iAs Sia,ae values In the several con
sluvtIes ~ such inequalities in yaIu
q NJ cls,.nat we should make haste
tof III ~. can Justly complain VIII,
~ Ii m. ''ate require him to pay on h
ssu lss s exact proportion to its valu
aBforcins and collected for the pm
tnA me laws aud, maintaining d
q AZ 2EI,,ennically administered,
NH ,nHent citizen will object
N "a 'st'res everyone to pay In 4
une value OF his properi
la " levied for state, county
~ donh, inc administration OF viii
"a M as much revenue for sta
MT, same property from a city
~ x,.. "a anosier. is unjust and |
p,joo. Illustrates the ineouaii
fssi N the several counties hett
property. A railroad M
~ eeassle from North Ia south pas
n No.. .ounties, each mile OF III
\ esrsiy 70 complete its vel
sa' use Is Of equal value r