Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-10-11
The Triennial Assessments.

Mr. EDITOR:-Concernin the coming
triennial assessment / am inclined tt
agree, in part. with your correspondent
OF week or two ago, viz: That the
farmer, as a class, comes nearer paying
full value taxes upon his property than
any other class of citizens-his proper
ty all being exposed TO the view of the
assessor, and being of such nature not
readily concealed-eyen were he inclin-
ed to do 50.
The goal to be striven for by the as
SCISSORS over the county in both town
and township should be equalization OF
values, so that you and downing proper
" q the same value pay the same tax, a
difficult task MS few OF us see alike. The
County Commissioners have gone to
considerable trouble and expense in hav-
ing printed for the benefit of the assess
ors the law governing their action, to
Rether with instructions as to how to &C
about their work. The assessors duty
In my judgment is to visit each separatt
property and to assess same at such val
ne. according to law and his instruc
tions, as his best Judgement may die
tate. taking into consideration in de-
termining the value of each separate
property its improvement. location as to
market, its products, oil. gas, coal,
limestone, timber. ETC., and to do away
with the custom of dividing all real es-
tate In his district into two classes -
improved and unimproved, aud fixing
IN arbitrary value on each class, with
ont regard to the separate value of each
piece or subdivision of land. and then
leisurely proceeding to take the last du-
plic2te to ascertain names and number
Of acres, and proceed to make out his
duplicate or assessment accordingly.
This method does not work to the end
Of giving each tax payer "a square
deal, there being many pieces of land
In each class Of greater or less value
than others in the same class. 1t is a
well known fact that both in town and
township there are those whose valua-
tions are too high and those whose val
uations are too low as compared with
each other, and by reason thereof, the
one pays more and the other less than
they should-a condition that should be
religiously avoided. | think all fair
minded men and good citizens gladly
pay their fair and equal proportion OF
the tax necessary TO defray the necessa-
ry expense of good government, but the
best of rs are inclined to kick and feel
righteously indignant upon discovering
that we are paying more than our next
neighbor who has equally as valuable
property as we have
1t is about time the assessors over the
county, and especially in those town
ships Immediately surrounding the
Borough OF Butler, and perhaps other
fnurnu nj rs 100
versed by railroads, both steam and
electric, waken mp and assess lands that
tor years been treated bv them as un-
improved meadow or swamp lands, al
something near their real value, the
bottom lands along the Consequences
ing creek, BonnieBrook and Coal run
in the vicinity of Butler are very valua
BILE rs manufacturing sites. sites FOL
railroad yards. etc, and are held at fab
ulous prices, let the assessors attenp
to buy some of the swamp" lands IL
the vicinity OF the intersection Of Con
noquenessing creek and BonnieBrool
or Karns Crossing. or in the vicinity ol
the Car Works-lands assessed at S3t
to $50 per acre couldn't be bought fol
$500 per acre. and the owners are ask
ing from $1,000 to $4,000 per acre, so thl
WLlltk ~ pretty ItlfdDiy luIOTuleu.
the said land owners continue to stan,
in the way of improvements by holdinl
their lands at fabulous figures let then
pay taxes on same at least in proportion
to its value as you and do on some o
our hilly farms that would not sell 70
one-tenth the money per acre Offered
for the low lands or swamp section
above mentioned.
IL the assessors fail in their duty con
cerning the proper assessment of sucl
lands. wherever located. then respect
fully call upon the County Commission
ers TO keep same in mind when the,
come TO sit RS board of viewers ant
equalization OF values.
II strikes me that the additional mon
ey necessary to meet the growing ex
penses of our growing county should b
forthcoming from the sections Of tn
county that have increased, some i'm
mensely. by reason of their location an,
peculiar advantage. in value, and no
upon that section or sections of tn
county which are receiving little or n
benefit tlferefrom.
Let the assessors see TO it that eacl
individual property holder in his dis
trict is assessed with all his propert,
separately valued and assessed, Location
and all conditions of and surroundin,
same considered. and there should b
no valid grounds of complaint by an
Of us, otherwise we may look for trou
BILE TAX PAYER.