Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-02-09
s,n,n, Folly Of over-Tax Assessment

sinful Folly of Overlap Assessment
,vritsr. who lives in Connecticut.
gives us ahe following, which Is worth
reading carefully:
The writer who has paid taxes IN OhlOl
for ATTY wears. and has put more goo1
money into the town treasury than any
other resident now living in town, mas
been wiIIing and glad 10 pay without
muruur MS just proportion toward tns
common good But when ne mos Ala MAJ
the assessment has suddenly jumped up
several thousand dollars al ~ Per az
for sprout land. alder swamp ana all SO
That he cannot possibly rent the land
buildings and all for sufficient TO pay the
taxes. NAV he not feel aggrived and op-
messed? IL looks as though he would oe
Obliged 10 sell a portion Of timber land
each year 70 pay taxes until the town
aets the whole OF il, or some one mas
said. You might as well deed IT all 10
the town. for the town viii eventually
get IL BY taxes If you try to hold It.
ssvVhat encouragement does such mar
row and shOrtsighted town policy give
for the development and maintenance OF
such fine forests as formerly graced the
town. The writer, having always lived on
the place that he now occupies. has few
trees left that have grown up with him
and which ne has watched with good
deal OF interest. until they seem like old
friends. Now the action OF the assessors.
i'm putting the burden Of taxation orp the
little timber land Of any value remaining
IN town. virtually say 10 him, You can
not keep these any longer. They must be
slaughtered BY the Iumbermen, IKE all
the rest When thousands OF dollars
worth OF lumber have been taken out OF
town each year II is 10 be regretted that
g.. - d. 70
grand list, should encourage this process
Of depletion by excessive taxation OF the
remainder. It is a shortsighted policy and
will result In the future impoverishment
OF the town, rather than in its good.
Forestry is a subject which is attracting
great attention throughout the country,
and as most of the land In Union is es-
pecially fitted for this industry, the pol
lev OF the town should be to foster the
growth Of the ine forest rather than their
destruction"
1 am glad to copy this letter. because
these over-taxes are not confined TO Con-
necticut- II happens right here in Geor-
gia. know a town very well where tax
assessors have made real estate a positive
drug on the market The taxes are in
many instances so high that the owner is
obliged TO go down in his or her pocket
TO set enough outside money 10 pay these
outrageous tax demands. Vacant property
Is taxed until the owner viii be obliged to
give II 70 the town TO relieve the weight
Of the burden on themselves.
I have a three-acre farm land patch in
the suburbs that brought me only six
dollars last year as cash revenue and the
the city does not give IL one dollar and
the tax. state. county and municipal. was
IS on the thousand dollars, so that OUT
lying patch (of three acres assessed was
$500 value. when IL cost the owner less
than $40 to purchase. and since the pur-
chase. several years ago, was made, the
entire real value has been paid out, soak
ed up in taxation.
or course nobody will invest in such
property. because II is only game TO the
tax assessors Unless IL can be traded of
IN some sort OF fashion. the town is GER
tain 20 get Il at last, out of any own
er-s hands
such sinful folly Is like killing the goose
which lays the golden egg. When a town
is governed by a set OF men who have
neither sympathy for taxpayers or SCUM
sense in promoting business prosperity, the
end OF that towns is sure. either in Con-
necticut OF Georgia
These bloated tax assessments are town
killers. because II has grown TO be a
practice TO Cypress everybody, but the as
SCISSORS themselves and their kinnery and
dependents when they get a fling at the
business That is the real hardship and
tyranny
Unless all signs fail. there is an ap-
preaching revolt certainly coming
Forbearance ceases to be virtue when
taxation gets TO conhscating figures With
state and federal governments piling on
taxation 10 the limit. and town taxes SC
heavy that you cannot sell your real es-
tate because nobody wants to buy in such
cruel municipalities. somebody is going to
rise up one Of these days and lead in a
revolution against tyranny and injustice
Connecticut can yet learn something
by visiting these parts. for there is seeth-
ing indignation in many localities against
this evil right now.