The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-12-08
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1905.
Assessment of Property.

advertisement Of the county auditor.
He will soon start on his rounds TAX
ing returns Of property for the pur-
pose of taxation. All property inclu-
ding zeal estate will be assessed this
year The comptroller general sent
out a circular to auditors some time
ago calling their attention to the fact
that the constitution Of the state re-
quires all property to be assessed for
the purpose of Taxation ar its actual
value, and the auditor explains in his
notice what is meAg by actual value.
Every person who returns his prop
erty for taxation is required to make
affidavit that he has returned it at its
actual value. This affidavit has, been
required heretofore, but the trouble
has been that most people understood
the oath to mean that they were re-
) turning their property at the same
ratio of value as their neighbors, and
in some counties the proper value for
taxation has been considered to be
60 per cent Of the cash value, and in
Others, as low as 20 per cent. 1t really
makes little difference to the tax pay
er whether his property IS returned at
its actual value or at 90 per cent Of
its actual value, provided that all
property is returned at the same ratio
of value, except that if it were return
ed at it's full value, there would be
more realized for the. common
schools, because the common school
tax of three mills is constitutional
tax and cannot be changed by the
legislature If, however, the people
could be induced to return their prop
erty at its actual value, as the con-
stitution requires, the rate of taxation
for state and county purposes could
j be reduced one-half and probably
more, because it is notorious fact
,;that the assessment for the state is
: less than one-half the cash value OF
the property, and it is also fact that
there is great deal of property that
is escaping taxation altogether. The
comptroller general is entirely cor
rect in his efforts to secure an assess
ment of property at its actual value:
for in that case we would have an
equitable assessment Of property, not
only among those of the same county,
but also among the counties.
While a member of the Legislature,
we made as strong fight as we knew
how to secure the passage Of bill
which had for its purpose the very
thing for which the comptroller gen.
eral is now contending. The trouble
then was, ard It will be found now,
that the people are afraid if the prop
ertv is increased, and the revenue OF
the state is therefore increased.
it will tend to extravaganza IN appro-
oriations and instead Of having the
rate lowered, the Legislature will
spend more money In addition to
this, they realize that the school tax
would remain the same. This, how
ever should not be an objection, be-
cause our common schools as a rule,
need more money. $500
In the last fifteen years the prop
, erty of the state has grown from
S1Ao,ooo,oo to over $2co,ooo,ooo, at
present, and the rate Of taxation, IN
stead of being reduced is more than
one mill higher. Of course the state
has grown and necessarily expendl-
kures have kept pace with chat growth.
It is the fear that if taxable property
should be doubled by having it as
sessed at it's actual value, that the rate
of taxation would also increase IN the
same proportion, which in large
measure prevents the passage OF any
law looking to such an assessment,
and that keeps the people from return
ing their property at its actual value.
Still. the constitution says that all
property should be assessed at its &C
tual value, and that is the rule which,
should prevail.