The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-02-13
FREpER1CKsBURG, VA TUESDAY FEBRUARY 1s, 1905
Mr.. CRANDLER'S VIEWS
He Discusses Taxation and Assessments.

In a letter in the Tmcs-pispa;clt Mr.
4. B. Chandler, of Bowling Green, dis
cusscs the question of taxation uni as
sessments as follows:
ii the General Assembly oi Nrgiula
when II adjourns, shall have enacted an
efficient law. securing the equalization oi
assessments of real estate and personal
property Tor taxation. 10 Wlll have earn
ed every cent oi the entire eNIc s,s oi
the session aud mcritcd the graututr ui
the people y property IN Virginia can
be- assessed at lis value. II would be-
highly beneficial to the owner ln many
respects. and especially in cas' ol a safe,
enabling the owner the more readily 20
dispose ui il at a fair value, aud would
result IN lowering the rateoi taNahlu 20
fifteen cents in the hundred dollars or
less. II all tangible property, ral and
personal. could be- aS~csscd at li- actual
value. there would hr n0 necessity Tor
double taxation, taxing the coV1- and
the bonds secured thereon at tI.- same
time. or other evidences al dett The
treasury. with the corporation and IRAN
chise tax and other available revenue,
would be- OVERLOOKING. There II now mo-
pretense of equalization Oi as-' ~sments
Of either real or personal property in the
State at large or even between coicrmi.-
GUS owners. have recently sod elgh-
teen acres of land with improvements
upon term- of onc-third carh aud bal
ance in one aud two pears. deferred pay
ments. bearing six per cent Interest, iur
Sl.OlOOO. while tins property was only
assessed at 5000.
Al property should be- assessed ~ It's
fair cash value. and cash value should be-
defined by law. As money can easily be-
obtained at six per cent. and deirrred
paynents ON real estate, when uuc-thifd
Is paid ca Ia. can be easily = Ild at par
when they bear six per cent interest, the
purchase price OF land sold for uuc-third
cash and balance in one and two years.
bearing interest and secured hy trust
deed on the property sold, Is the actual
cash value of such property and o. should
be- assessed accordingly. The great need
of thepeuple. over haduwiug double tax
alton aud all other minorand kindred i~-
sues. II the fair aud equal valnrtion oi
property for taxation. Tie present
methods a. 10 both species oi property,
real and personal. are maniiestiy iuiqult-
ous and should be- no longer endured.
The commissioner OF the revenue allows
the owner 10 assess his own property,
he. himself. rarely. ii ever ~eer II and
only i'm very rare cases does be- assume
the authority 90 place his own valuation
upou il He should he required 10 III
spect. at least once IN two years. every
species and parcel OF all the personal
propertv ui every taxpayer and place
his own estimate OF value ou lt beng
guided in this estimate 10y what such
property could be purchased Tor in the
market in It's condition az time OF assess
ment and these commissioners of revenue
should not be elected by the people. A.
| 10 real estate humbiy submit, that the
State should be- hy law divided into ten
geographical divisions, compact and
composed OF contiguous terrtt ry, ana
/ from each Of these ten divisions one man
/ should boz appointed 10y the Governor
with the advice and consent OF the Sen
ate. the ten 80 appointed 20 constitute q
| board 10 finally pass upon and approve
/ the assessment OF all real estate
! This board should fix and determine
l the average NuludllNU W iblih ii 'tL'' w
the ten geographical divisions OF the
State. aud having done this should cer-
tify its conclusion TO another board com
posed OF ten men, chosenim in all re'pects a.
above. and composed Of one man from
each county ineach geographical 'livlsionl,
which should be the district board oteach
district. and this district board With the
average rates OF assessment certified tOlt
by the state board should equitably ap-
portion this rate between the ten coun-
ties of the district a. the character oi
the soil and the improvements would die
tate. and certify to the STATE board and
the county assessors the average rate oi
assessment for each county; and the
county assessors thus having chart
for their guidance could approximate an
equitable assessment as between the cit
izens OF the county. assessing one iarm
lower, another higher a. equity and JUS
tice demanded and finally adding here
and substracting there until the average
came up to the amount given them by
the district board. aud having thus com
pleted the county assessment the same
TO be then returned To the State board
for it, final ratification and approval.