The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1907-01-18
THE ABUSES OF
KY'S. TAX SYSTEM.
Too Many Assessors. Super
yisorsand Tax Collectors.
Too Much Paid for Collecting
And Officers Evade the Law
To Make it More.
LR. R. perry In sun.sentIOeI.

Talk about the tax on tea that pre-
cipitated the American Revolution,
the tariff tax, the revenue tax or
any other kind of tax. There never
was system of taxation as cumber-
some, as expensive, as unjust as the
Kentucky system.
want to give a homely illustra-
ton of one part of the system: Mr..
East Too Beet lives in Winchester,
(any other town will do) Mr.. E. T.
B. owns some property; is the faith
er of children. The first official to
call is the Assessor. "Mr. E. T. B.
what do you own" Ans House
and lot, worth $1,000" How many
children have you between the ages
of 6 and 20.?" Ans.-Four." Other
stock questions are asked and the
Assessor departs. The Assessor re-
ports to the County Court and a
Board of Supervisors is appointed,
one from each magisterial district.
They go over the Assessors books
and are supposed to correct any err
rors that have been made. When
their work is done, the report is
sent to the State Board of Equaliza-
ton, which is composed of one men,
Der from each Appellate district.
When they get through, after a
hundred days at five dollars per day
and expenses, the list is placed in
the hands of the Sheriff and MIR. f..
T. B. can call and pay his county
and State taxes.
The next official to call on Mr.. f..
T. B. is the City Assessor Exact
ly the same questions are asked and
the same answers given as in the
case of the County Assessor. A re-
port is made to the Council. A city
Board of Supervisors is appointed.
They do exactly the same work that
has already been done by the Coun-
ty Board on the property that is in
the city. They report back to the
Council, the clerk is paid an extra
fee for copying the list, after which
Mr.. f. T. B. can hunt up the City
Collector and pay his city and school
taxes.
The next official to call on Mr.. E..
T. B. is the school census taker, en-
ployed by the Boad of Education.
Mr.. E. T. B. is required to tell how
many children he has between the
ages of 6 and 20, thing that he has
told and sworn to twice before.
1t is generally Supposed that the
Sheriff and City Cllector each get
ten per cent. on the first five thous-
and dollars collected, and four per
cent. on all above that amount, but
that is not the way of it. The funds
are divided. Ten per cent. on the
first five thousand for the State, ten
per cent. on first five thousand for
the county, ten per cent. on first
five thousand for city purposes, ten
per cent on first five thousand for
schools. Total, twenty thousand
dollars on which ten per cent. Is
paid.
Mr.. +. T. B. is also required to
pay several poll taxes for the priv
ilege of breathing. He owes five
hundred dollars on his home, but he
must pay taxes on what he owes,
and the party to whom he owes the
five hundred must also pay. Sum-
mary: Three Assessors, three boards
of Supervisors. two tax collectors.
Is there a remedy? Yes-one AS
SCISSOR, one Board of Supervisors,
one tax collector, this collector to
apportion to each division the
amount belonging to that division
and for his services receive two per
cent.
''I had tried everything for baby,