The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-02
BARS TAXES ON Value bASIS
CONiPTROLLER GENERAL MAK
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.
Sufficient Money Can BE Raised ru
Last Years Assessment with eve
Five and Three-fourths Mill Lcsy
to Pay Stato's Expenses.

assessments VIII not be Increased .t
South Carolina this year and propt rs
will be returned at its assessment ,.E
last year and not its true value. t.,
announcement is from the office ot
Comptroller General Jones Who So
that sufficient money san he raj
on last years assessments to def. y
ment with the ga mills levy and by
the indirect taxation provided for as
usual. AS 1910 is the year for re-
assessment Of property the order sent
out to county auditors and boards OF
assessors is of much significance at
this time. The property valuation
last year was about s271 900. 900 for
this state. and II can easily be figured
that a 3-4 mill levy will raise the
necessary funds to run the state dur
ing the present year.
Comptroller Jones says. in his in
structions to county auditors and
boards assessors.
''In obedience TO Section article
10. OF the state Constitution. which
shall provide for an annual tax suffi-
cient to defray the estimated expenses
OF the State for each year. the Gen
eral Assembly has fixed the levy for
State purposes at ga mills on the
dollar. TO raise the amount Of appro-
priations for the current year; the
3 mill school tax fixed by the Con-
sl'Jution. and the county lcvies are
fixed by the Legislature TO raise the
necessary expenses for county purpos-
es. From the rate levied for State
aid county purposes. 1t is clear that
the Legislature did not intend the
property Of the state to be assessed at
its true value. for the levy made II
applied to such valuation OF proper
~. would realize much more than the
amount sufficient or contemplated for
State, school or county purposes.
Must Equallze Taxes.
''while. therefore. II is deemed nec-
essary that the county auditor, town
ship. city and town boards of assess
ors shall ascertain the true value of all
property WITHIN their respective tax
district In rider 10 equallze tho ralu-
alton for tho different pitrp SOS of
taxation, as between the difrc. crt tax
payers. 7 am OF the opinion that un-
A.
not only runious and extravagant, bat
contrary TO the legislative intention
to assess property this year at its
true value for the purpose of taxation,
and that the townships and county
boards will have to assess the value
OF property for the purpose of taxa
ton at such percentage OF the true
value as will b. sufficient TO raise the
amount Of appropriations
Heretofore little effort has been
made TO cqualize the assessments IN
the townships. cities and towns as be-
tween the taxpayers Under the pres
ent levy 1t Is not necessary in order
TO rails the appropriation for either
State. school or county purposes, for
the boards OF SCISSORS to increase the
aggregate valuation Of 1909. In any
township or county. but the main
work desired Is To equalize value as
between taxpayers.
How To Reach Assessment
suppose, for instance, that a GER
tain township contains 1875 acres Of
land and buildings now valued for
taxation at $4,000. OF this 1875
acres. when valued and aggregated 10
taxpayers. It is found that the true
value runs from 50 per acre to $50
per acre. and the total value is found
TO be. Si2S.OOO, Il would then be seen
that the present assessment Of $51.-
zoo is 60 Ter cent OF the true value
and should be the percentage taken
for assessment for that tax district, az
will more fully appear FROM the fol-
lowing illustration:
Present assessed value OF 1875
acres. $5L2OO; 100 acres at IS per
acre. true value. $1,000 40 per cent
for taxat.., So per acre 1000 acres
at IS per ,crc, true value. $4,000, 40
per cent FOR taxation. SO 20 per acre;
5000 acres at $40 per acre. true value
$4,000, so per cent for taxation. 81
per acre; 1000 acres at $l2 per acre.
true value, $4,000, 40 per cent for
taxation. 50 50 per acre; 1000 acres
at f15 per acre. true value, $4,000.
40 per cent for taxation Sc per acre:
700 acres at $50 per acre true value
S1I 900. 80 per cent for taxation. IS
per mere. 500 qcrns at S20 nor ocrc