The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-05-08
LOOK OUT FOR A REGULAR
QUIzzING NEXT YEAR
Land Appraisers, Census Takers and the Common Old
Assessors will all be Given Chance to Ask Any and
all Questions Their Hearts May Desire and
the People Must Stand and Take 1t.

new law.
Al present and prospective owners
of real estate will know that the
valuations assessed next year Will
run for a period Of four instead of
ten years, and can govern themselves
accordingly. 1t is important not
only to know but also to remember
this fact.
All this may seem to be a "dry'
subject to most people. 1t is indeed
difficult to write about in way
that would attract as much atten-
tion as the base ball scores, divorce
cases, murders, misdemeanors, freaks
and fancies OF current events claim
from those who read the newspa-
pers. magazines and comic almanacs
of today.
But 1t Is very important, very seri-
Gus subject to every taxpayer, wheth-
er owner or tenant OF farm or town
properties in the state of Ohio just
now. It concerns us vastly more
than the Frevision OF the tariff (up-
ward) by its friends in progress at
Washington.
Quadrennial appraisement Is not
real factor of taxation reform, al
though a desperate effort will be
made ~ those who hindered all such
reform by the legislature at the recent
special session to show that it is.
If the quadrennial appraisement OF
land is to accomplish one purpose
more than any other, it is to main
tain a more equable balance of land
taxes than can be, fixed for longer
periods. No other purpose can be
injected into it that is not perni-
/ cious.
While it is true that shorter per-
iods Will keep pace with sudden or
rapid appreciation in land values
arising from several causes, there is
also at the same time a constant de-
pfe.iation in an area so large and so
varied as the state OF Ohio.
Changes in the location OF large
industries work contrary effects, espe-
cially upon the minor centers. With
| III HIdNts lllO lGlllONdl VI
any large enterprise will PROSTATE
the place deserted and start a land
boom at the new location. Trust
concentration has had its baneful eff
| feet on more than one Ohio town
| that once boasted of "the hum of
industry" as its sweetest music,
mills shut down causing men to
migrate having caused more than
one real estate boom to collapse.
Although quadrennial appraise-
ment will more automatically adjust
tax values to town acres subidivided
into lots. and to suburban extensions
and to farm lands adjacent TO rapid
| ly growing towns and cities, there Is
general depreciation going on every
where in the state to remember in
the reckoning.
Four years hence the shrewd land
owners will want very good reason
II his valuation is not reduced from
the rating made next year.
| Agricultural lands beyond the evil
dence of growing towns and cities
cannot be expected TO enhance the
value every four years by arithmet-
ical progression.
All these factors in the equation
make 1t highly important that you
remember when the land assessor
comes around yya~'. year how Coy
ernor Harmd T. i upon the pres
ent legislaW tactical Legislation
that would immediae conditions
and how his recommendations wert
: deliberately ignored because of th'
partisan animus of the majority ant
its members.
which brings the whole matter Il
It's unavoidable conclusion.
There are many properties in tn
state on which the tax valuations
reasonably will be raised next yea
because of changed conditions durinI
, the past ten years. There are 9th
? ers, of course, which will claim al
1 lowance for depreciation.
This reappraisement would haY
: been made anyway, as stated before
and the result of II would be tn
same, whether called a decennial al
5 pralsement or a quadrenial appraise
ment
: If there should be an upward tren
in tax valuations on land next yea
y responsibility must rest on the pres
: ent legislature, which emulated tn
}. example of Nero when Rome burnet
u although Governor Harmon repeated
IaT 4. L.. .as
> immediate needs of the state.