Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1903-10-30
THE LAWS 0EFIEO.
Recent Reform" officials Con-
duct In Cleveland.
OHIO STATUTES SET AT NAUGHT.

Z Fuultion OF 4EU,UUU,UOO TO the Grand
Tax Duplicate, and Good Work Co.
Ing Ahead, Does Not Save cuyahoaa
County Board of Tax Review From
Johnson's Attacks.
What crimes are committed in thy
name, o, Reform?" says the Cleveland
Press independently in comment upon
the fact that "the first official act" of
Johnson's reform board of commits
s1oners for Cuyahoga county was the
/ adoption of a resolution making the
meetings of the board secret" That
/ THIS resolution is in direct disobe-
dience to the laws of Ohio, does not
! seem to have counted with the ere.
| formers" Home rule" is their Tom
Johnson idea, meaning that the state
has no rights that the county need be
| expected to respect.
Pretty soon follows a still more sig
ntficant defiance by the Tom Johnson
men of the laws of Ohio. For nearly
two years Cuyahoga county has had
at work board of review made by
the state law, the final authority in all
I matters of assessment and taxation in
that county 1t was carefully selected
and has been doing diligent and eff
cient work, as best proved by the fact
that its labors have added $4,000, 900
to the tax valuation of the county. The
members have become experts and
their work is going forward right
along increasing the returns of
assessed values upon personal prop
erty made by individuals and corpora
tions. That it has been carefully done
is shown by the fact that the courts
have not changed any of their figures.
All was moving serenely. Public en-
dorsement of their efficiency was gen.
eral and manifest. Even Mayor John
son, it was thought, approved most
heartily of the board, and gave it great
credit for it's work.
Then came in the new Johnson board
of commissioners of Cuyahoga county.
One of their earliest acts was to vote
to cut the salaries of the board of re-
view to SIS month for each man.
Anyone can see the utter absurdity of
such a move. Men who are in the
least fit for such duties in Cleveland
and Cuyahoga county, will not look at
such great responsibilities for any
5000 a year, and no 5000 man would
be fit for the job. In fact, ]. B. Molly
neau, Robert Simpson and F. A. Sar-
stedt, comprising the board of review,
were all appointed and accepted Office
with a salary of $4,000 each per year.
Evidently this move was made to
drive them out of office by paying
them less than the wages given to
their clerks and messengers. At an
expense of $4,000 for two years they
have added over S20,000,O00 to the tax
duplicate, so that action cannot be ex-
cused on that account. 1t is question
whether what has been done is legal,
but it will not drive the men out of
Office at this time.
A still more important feature has
come up. Not only does this action by
the Johnson county commissioners
seek to deprive the county of the
services of men who are most efficient
and expert in the matter of locating
those who are delinquent in their tax
returns, but it will deprive the public
of any form of authority in Cuyahoga
county which would have power to re-
wise any returns which might be made.
Johnson's county auditor might at
tempt this, but he will act upon per-
centage to be divided between him and
the tax inquisitors. This extra ex.
pense is saved by the board of review
that the Johnson machine has at
tackled What was the object? Was
there fear that they might call in Tom
L. Johnson to explain his tax returns
like other men have had to do, and tell
why his sworn return of $13,755 in
1903 should be sufficient for the for
tune of several million dollars of Mr..
Johnson, particularly since he is not
known to have dollar invested in any
Ohio enterprise, or in any form that |
would exempt him from the personal |
return for taxation of his entire prop
erty?