Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-10-20
FARMERS TAXES DECREASED
Burdens That Have Rested On the Agriculture
Communities Have Been Lifted and
Others Are Bearing Their Share of
Taxation.

Tax Commissioner Dillon in his address before
State Board Of Agriculture at Charleston said
Gentlemen of the Board of agriculture
am glad to meet you and glad see you looking SO
year Nature has again you bountful harvest
and besides you have many things to be thankful for You ask
expect speech this time but shall be glad give you
study them The you doubt by this time that
have been greatly benefited by the reforms in taxation If
sheriff presents you with ticket for the year
changes in the tax this State The reform has been
your benefit than any other class You past
have been the full value of your property
rdh f amy have he ~ for pnb e9 If 'e " % MONIES
thing like 50 per cent of their values while the railroads.
oneh to tenth Of their values The West
wgna f the sSow o e wd assessed at @ The
is practically increase of three times but
average increase of the farming lands of
not quite doubled but the great increase mineral lands
run the average up to three times This will has been
is three the agricultural lands have on the
than two times, therefore every whose
the year 1906 than in years past,
You have not been benefited by equalization of wall
real estate buyou have been benefited by
valuation on the properties Of all public utilities For instance
a 1908 amounted to 90 m oypd Tor The
the year the assessed value round nun
and in 1906 at 900 RAILROADS we're assessed in 1905
we 5nd On 1T oS d oos Water con pa"
you wonderful in, ease in the values Of
properties which brought the assist in
paying the burdens of taxation The taxable values in
this State for the year 1906 round will be
100000 which increase the total value for
1905 of three times and will be the exception State
find the farmer whose property has increased in that
will venture the assertion that in
West Virginia will pay from % TO so per less the
year 1906 than for the year 1904.
Again YOU have been benefited that great
deal of property property before
brought the roll to help bear the burdens and certain
required pay that the past delinquent
and contributed nothing to the support of State
Under The law requiring the State school capiation
taxes be collected by the when the
made find the collections amounting round numbers
$4,000 than collected i'll the year the
sheriff collected the capitaon Think of this
brought the State school fund
people who had in the past been den1u
clear gain and the direct result of the change
Again find there has been year 1906
leaehods chates real in the the
S35OOo000 approxmatey his too is net gain this class
come IN Tor the t time TO hep bear the burdens of taxation
am sorry TO say that this not the and actual value
leasehods in this State The coal leaseholds the
counties have not been assessed than one>
value although effort has been made the
office Of the Tax Commissioner them their full
value but account of certain defects the law
opposition owners of this propertv the as
their duties assessing these properties Proceedings
pending in of the courts those
have failed to do their duties and to compel them
these properties as the law provides.
We find a most serious defect in which oper-
aes against The State 1t this There provision autho~
rzng the State county appear before Court
other tribunal and assessment
where the has assessed the property
provides that individual when
too high appear before the County the
said court against
appears that individual more than the
value Of his property the County Court
recng the but if the property has
too low at onetenh of its value poweess
can be compelled to increase the value before the books