The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-08-30
1s'77775 49, 7 ~ - - =
/ ABOUT HIGHER TAKES.

81 Because the Marion County Court
I has decided thut 1t wants to make
good sized payment on the old court
house debt this year. notwithstanding
1T! las been found necessary to build
u new jail which will probably cost
$4,000 and a sufficient Number Of city
Scouncilmen voted to add ten cents to
the levy In order to pay up debts ere
ated before the new tax laws we're
ever heard of, and also the board OF
education, OF the Independent district
Thought 1T was necessary to increase
i the levy for. school purposes ten cents
s;on the 800 valuation, making an In
crease Of Is cents in. these three levy
ding bodies. the Itold-you-so anti-tax re-
formers are in high glee and are say
ing ali sorts OF things about the new
tax laws md the men who mndc them.
TO the lunthinktng and uninformed the
case is clear that the new tax laws
have made taxes higher this year, but
{ honest investigation shows that the
increase Is not due to the new laws Mt
/ ali. tIf the county court Is right In
.waining to build new jail and make
sibig payment on. tho, old court house
debt. 1t has the power to lay the levy.
SIn fact Its has the power anyhow.
whether right or wrong. Andl the same
] Ifs true as to the power OF the city
council and board Of education, but
who can blame the new tax laws be-
cause the tax levying bodies take a
4 notion to raise certain amount Of
money 81; :,e5
But there is yet n deeper issue In
svolved t.tnan the mere matter OF In
1 crease in rate OF levy to pay off old
debts. Who is paying the increase and.
An what proportion? That Is very
mach more Important question. Not
understanding tho increase of rs cents
N on the 500 valuation this year the
4 taxes Of the masses will not be nearly
Il as high as they were under the old
4 law. The tax rate In Fairmont indie
pend ent district the last year under
i the Old law was 81. 90 on the 500 val
,iatloh. II ID now $500. The man who
gave In his money under the old law
paid $3.50 IA thousand on 1t while this
3 year she will pay only $l2.00. There
are many people who have money and
4 they are perjure1s unless they give It
into be taxed Under the old law the
tempta ton to perjury was very strong
4 for .95 on the hundred was so nigh
X that 1t took half the earnings Of money
atainterest to pay 1t and of much mon
" ey on interest at a per cent. in bank It
Y took almost three-fourths. Other
4 forms. OF property were assessed at
ridiculous figures Ia proportion to
theirfvallc. Only a few days ago a
/ gentleman In Fairrnont related an in
tcident OF interest here as In illustra'
X ton. He said that n few years ago he
had III hand $500 In money which he
I gavo linS to the assessor for taxation.
(which mt $2.95 on tho 500 would cost
q III taxes $221.25 n year. He invested
y the 81 500 In two pieces of property.
paying 5000 for one anu $4,000 for
the other. He found the piece for
which he paid $4,000 on the assessors
book at $500 and the piece for which
he paid $1,000. on the books ut 5000,
/. making the two valued Mt $1,000. He
tins decreased his taxable property
i $1,000 I'M the two deals and cut his
4 taxes $191.75 per year. Now. these
i IRE true facts and illustrate an actual
Z cold Hion In the city Of Fainmont un'
u der the old slip shod methods of taxa.
ton which our anti-tax reform friends