The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-24
VALUE PROPERTY
ON PRESENT BASIS
Of ASSESSMENTS
Commission Decides Adj
versely to the Attor-
ney-General.
WILL NOT INCREASE
THE ASSESSMENTS
Case Of Unusual Interest and
Importance Decided by Cor
poration Commission on
Grounds of Justice
and Public
Policy.
Case Of Unusual Interest and
Irannrtance Decided hu Cor

..In view OF the business conditions
which Mt this time prevail, we nrc OF
the opinion that a sound cOnsldern-
ton OF Justice and broad public
policy require us to deny the motion.
"For the reasons herein Indicated,
We have determined not to incrense
the nssessments on the rondwnys and
trucks OF the STANDARD railroads In
Virginia for the current year"
Closing an elaborate opinion on the
subject with tho language quoted
above. the Corporation Commission
yesterday afternoon denied the motion
OF Attorney General Anderson TO
change the basis OF the valuation Of
railroad property In Virginia with the
view OF increasing the annual ASSESS
mept thereon.
The case was elaboratcly argued by
counsel for tie State and for the COM
panies some weeks ago, on motion
tnbrnitted by the Attorney General for,
an increase ofttfe assessments already
,ixed by the commission for the cur
rent year. and tt was taken under ad-
ylsement. and carefully considered by
the commission. The opinion which
soilows deals at length with the law
governing the matter OF property as
iessments In Virginia: with the duties
incumbent upon the commission and
With business conditions as they exist
Today, and In view of all these. II is
determined that there shall be no
>hange In the methods heretofore
adopted, for the assessment OF the
class OF property involved
The opinion OF the commission will
come as no great surprise TO the pub
lie, for those who heard or read the
arguments OF the railroad lawyers Ia
me case. felt that they Demonstrated
the unwisdom, as well as the in{us-
ticc OF the proposed Innovation, II is
2 fact that the assessment. as laid
by tho commission Tor the current
year. Is far In excess OF that for the
last fiscal year, and that under the
present method OF valuing the prop
ersy OF the companies there is a steady
annual increase In taxes. =
Text of the Opinion.
The full text OF the opinion of the
Attorney General, and In sustaining
it's former method OF assessment IL a :
follows: -
Commonwealth of Virginia,
department Of the State. Corporation
Commission. -
aer hs n vfs9a m9si9n e q the The
crease the assessments for taxatinn m
Tor 1907 upon the lroadbeds and
racks iraGks !, Sf the Atlantic Coast Line
and Ohio Railway COMPANY. psast Narfa1ls Z
and Western Railway Compan..
Ef:omisyiile Eo,,isyni s and Nashville Railroad
way. Southern Railway Company and
The Washington-Souther railway,
Gsnmpany:
an The ,nrrsss: issaa; Whether the or not there be
1907 OF the several roadways and
tracks OF the above named railroad
= Section l7s of the Constitution pro-
TIE State Corporation Commission
,h ,haii ar annually ASCERTAIN and assess. at
the manner required Of the board Of 81
Public Works. by the law in force on
January ian l 1902. the value Of the road
etoc @ ana ana oaher o,ben zeal estate rolling
whatsoever (except It's franchise ep:. and II
non-taxable shares OF stock Issued hv
eahsr ne rs ei1rporations) IN this State. OF
TOR taxation upon such property: ''th he
CANAL bed and other real estate, the
sa aaa eseep hef opeIg
the non-taSable shares Of stock issued @
oEr other corporations) in this State,
Of each canal CORPORATION. empowered
property shall be taxed for State, .coun-
". city town and distsict purposes in
1he e, same manner ai as authorized by said
be Imposed by them. respectivcly.fr from
time to time upon the real estate and
pe1s99na1 ppe9sa property PFC Of natural persons;
th pthroVlaed, tnnt no tax shall be laid upon
the net income Of such corporations."
section l778 Of the Constitution pro
viues that each such railway corpora
s.o ZION shall also pay, an annual State
specified in Section IT'S for the prIvi-
tsga s.g of.eXiercislnE It's franchises In this
for In Sectionss176: shall Be In lieu OF
all other taxes or license charges What.
soever upon the franchises Of such
Sorpttornti,on,, II, the shares Of stock issued
ed under section f7s, with a provIso te,Sis
following which is inmaterial In this
Section 811s provides the method b,
which tho gross transportation receipts
are to he ascertained when the railroad
Is partly witfinaiand partly without
gss What Tax DilI Says
Section 27S Of the tax bill as amended
Acts 1906, ?, $40, requires the raiirpae
si9snss s ysus sa sosswns %
and track separated from from its oaoM othes fei
real and personal | property, and makes
\ It the duty Of the Commission to ] MS.
certain tho value of all such visible
property and to assess the taxes due
thereon.
Section 2sL OF tho Tax Bill tPollard's
taxation on such visihle property, and 4
provides that the real and persona
property Ct such corporation, othel
on tho value ton fixed ~ the STATE
Corporation Commissinn; with county
city, town, a istrict and road levies a
the same rate as real and persona
.cssed with such levias." \ and that .'ne
3 Rtate tax, county,. city, town, dstric
a or rond levy shall hc laid on tile ne
y ration. nor sllAl III any conntY, CITY atniYn