The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-10-06
LESS ~ ANSWERS.

A knowledge pretender on the
new tax system makes this inquiry
and then challenges any one to bring
on the proof, how can taxes be re-
duced when the levies have not been
decreased in proportion to the in
creased assessments?
Well. now, he thinks that is Il
sumner. but let us see. We will
take our own county, for an illus
tration. Last year under the old
system the county levy was 60 cents
on the hundred dollars and the as
sessment was about twelve million
dollars. The amount of taxes rais-
cd in round numbers was seventy
two thousand dollars for county pur-
poses. This year the levy Is but
So 1-3 cents for county purposes.
the assessment little over sixteen
million dollars and the taxes for
county purposes aboue fifty-three or
fiftv-four thousand dollars. Taxes
for county purposes have been re-
duced eighteen or nineteen thousand
dollars. There has been an increase
of assessment of three-ninths over
last year and a decrease of two
.eninths in the aggregate amount OF
levy for county purposes, and YET
there is saving to the tax payers
of eighteen or nineteen thousand
dollars year. showing that taxes
have been reduced to that amount.
notwithstanding the fact that the
per cent. of increase in assessment
exceeds the per cent. of decrease in
levy. The same may be shown about
the state tax, which in the aggregate
for this county is about $4,000 less
than twas last year.
Bear in mind that the per cent.
of increase of assessment Is greater
than the decrease of the per cent. OF
levy and vet these two lines of tax
alton, there is less tax to pay this
year by nearly 100000 than last
year. Docs this fact not answer
the Sumner?
There is also the fact that the new
laws provide that the amount raised
for several purposes. such as munich
pal. school and district, shall not eX-
coed this year five per cent. more
than the amount raised last year, no
matter how high the per centage OF
increase of assessment may be. This
five per cent. allowance is designed
merely to meet the growth that
from natural conditions. and docs
not arise or have its source from the
fact that a new assessment is made.
1t is based entirely on the amount
of taxes raised last year. Here rs
another instance. where increased
nssessment does not increase taxes.
But where there is increased assess
ment this very law compels de-
crease. of levy. The city levy illus
trates that. Last year the levy was
one dollar. This year it was reduc-
cd to SO cents to meet this require
! menf.
Most of these favorable condi-
tons arise not from the actual in
crease of the value of property here
tofore assessed but on the increase of
the total amount of the assessment
bv virtue of the fact that almost all
the four million dollars increase
consists of property that heretofore
escaped taxation. And, if the new
system works so well and reduces
taxes so much. when only some new
property is discovered, how much
it will work, when all property is
properly and equally valued
Tt matters not whether the ques-
ton propounded be technically ans
wered IN words or not, figures them
selves answer. In fact, the answer
that satisfies the people is that there
is to be a far less amount of taxes