Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-10-05
STATE GAINS THOUSANDS
Wonderful Work Of State Tax
Commissioners Office
SHOWING OF PAST 6 MONTHS
Revenues Of the State Have Been In
creased BY Many Thousands BY
Workinos of Tax Laws.

Workings of ak Laws.
Charleston. W. Va, Oct. 1.-THE
work 81 the tax commissioners Office
for the states fiscal year just ended
September seth, has been a very busy
one and especially 80 the last six
months. AS indicating, somewhat the
money value OF this department to the
state government, few facts will be
interesting.
The new license laws, as amended
by the legislature Of 1907 went into
effect May 22nd. The law did not go
into effect Immediately upon its pas
sage, the minority party refusing the
two or three necessary votes to give
the motion the required two-third5
vote 1t was argued on the floor of
both houses that this action of the
legislature would deprive The state OF
increased liquod license taxes to the
extent Of at east 10000 during the
present year, as the license tax year
began May first and the new laws did
not go into effect until May 22nd.
Tax Commissioners Views.
After a careful study Of the law the
tax commissioner held that the new
liquor license tax rates became opera
tive on MAJ 22nd. and that liquor
dealers should pay at the old rates
from May LIST to May 22nd and at the
new or higher rate from May 22nd
on. This view was resisted in quite
a number OF counties and much
strenuous work was thrown on the tax
commissioner office. The matter was
even taken into the courts, where the
ruling of the tag commissioner was
Sustained. as far as the case went.
The amount Of the new revenue col
iected by this one effort of the tax
commissioners Office aggregated the
large sum Of st06,977.5t, and it is safe
to say that not one dollar of this
would have been collected under the
OhN - HtNii u HttAl liS ~ utdu W Tie
tax system of the state, for it would
have been no one eountys business to
make test
In the estimates made by the legis-
iature the state auditor figured the
probable receip from the collateral
Inheritance tax laws . $4,000 for the
year 1907. aud $4,000 for the year
1908. One Of the first acts of the
present commissioner on taking office
April list. this yeqr. was to organize
the inherit ance tax work and make il
specia department with a compe-
tent man In charge to give the work
his undivided attention. The results
are thai the taxes collected from the
collateral Inheritance laws reached
Sor the year just closed the handsome
figures Of over S9j. 900. Tax Commits
sioner White estimates tine collections
Tor next year from this source at
still larger amount in excess of $780,
900 The new inheritance tax laws,
which will bring in more revenue will
not begin to have their effect till next
year. Very little, if any of the tax
collected for the last year, was under
the provisions of the new law effec-
tive May 22nd. as the estates so far
settled were of those who had died
prior to last June.
License Taxes.
The active fed work Of the assist
ant tax commissioner, with occasional
hetp from the main Office. has result
ed in the unearthing and collecting
license taxes. etc, aggregating fully
$4,000 practically all of which would
have been lost without personal in
yestigation and effort. IN addition to
that. at least 5000 more of taxes
were paid into the state treasury ow-
ing to the activity of the tax commits.
sioner's office including such matters
a. circuses, real estate agents, brok-
ers. wholessling beer or liquors, retail
dealers slot machines. automobiles.
restaurants, hotels, tobacco dealers.
bucket shops, parks, etc. etc. and es-
pecisIiy the suits had and efforts
made 10 collect the capitation taxes
II is conservative to state that the
+" amount of money placed in the state
treasury during the last fiscal year,
by the activities Of the tax commits
sioner's Office approximates closely a
g quarter of a million dollars.