Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-01-27
TAX SYSTEM IS
A CRAZY QUILT
Methods Of Levying Assessments
Miserable Caricature Of q
Tax System-Let Business
Men Study Question
and Make Report.

RIG IT mon n. VA Special
A. H., Thomas. former memOe OF
The State Senate from LynchburB anu
Campbell county, vas IA attendance
on the sessions OF the State Anu-Sa-
loon League.
Mr. Thomas is. and always has been.
a student OF the financial system o.
the State and the financial Affairs OF
the country. lie il OF an inQuirine
turn Of mind. and once ne begins az
INVESTIGATION he pursues 10 90 the end
He was discussing the question of
taxation and the equalization Thereon
with reporter FOR The Evening Jour
nal. and in the course OF his remarks
declared that the present system is
crazs-Qlut affair. that taxes are un-
equally assessed. ana that the stat,
Corporation Commission is not plac-
ing more than a third value on the
I properties OF the corporations OF The
State.
Senator Thomas said:
There can be 0o question OF The
+ ieslrabulty OF equal -atiou of taxes but
the plan of vestinE tne taxing power ln
rhe hands OF the lultOr. expecting
4 aim 90 e4ualiZc asses sments on prop
arty OF which be has no practice
+ Snowledge. viii only result in placing
another patch upon our crazy-QuNt tax
. system. and wiu ln NO sense. meet
the needs OF the case IL 10 has any
/ rect az am IL VIII likely result ln iu-
-reasing the burdens or the aEricul-
lraI and private business Interest oi
.he state and make the inequality bee
tween them and the public service cor
|ruratlous stiN greater.
cd am OF opinion that the state Cor
DoraUoD Commissi on is by FAR more
. Inefficient assessor Khan the commits
-ioners OF the revenue.
Il believe that the assessment by
-omm Issi0ners OF The revenue Oncluc
1g cItesj OF the private property %
! he state would average something
Ike so per cent
THE state Corporation Commits
sion assesses public service corpora
.Ions at about $9l.ooo.000. and a con
--rvatiNe estimate OF the value OF tnl
p property would De S5e0.00o,ooO, whlcl
? $ about 80 per cent. OF the value.
"a nagrant instance OF This under
. .oluation viii be found ln the VIZ
! siniau Railroad. now assessed ar $40.
h 200 and $4,000 a mile. and said q
nave cost over 100000 per nile.
p Anyone can select amy electric raA
/ way company and examine the matte
!, and little Is ventured in saying tna
N he valuation Will be found ridiculous
% - low.
o. '.The erect OF this undervaluation
% 20 permit the public service corpor1
b. lions 20 escape local taxation on som
b $4,000. goo.
b. '.cSow. assuming that the local rat
U would average I per cent. these con
q porations are escaping with someth.n
j. ike 100000 per year that shou.
e 20 into the treasures OF the counts
and cities.
= Without disparaglng in any VS.
- the many useful activities Of the sta
=. CORPORATION Comm ission. I am force
"a TO the conclusion that IL IS faiu'
~ as a tax assessor. and IL should be y
"a Lleved OF this duty.
"A Il am aware OF the inequalities ar
- Ifnfustlces OF our miserable caricatu
=. OF a tax system, but patching u IS
. remedy. IL needs reconstruction.
The General Assembly. IN the III
- |ited time az its command. cannot re
~ sonably be expected 70 do this wo
- SATISFACTORILY. and a commission OF q
y. experts should be created 20 study q
Iquestion and advise the General
or lsembly OF 1912
"a. The true remedy. 10 seems 10 n
al for inequalities between localities "
q be found in segregating the person
ne property and real estate belonging
80. private interests for local tax only O.
AL giving TO the state privilege. incoi
'oE and special taxes and the taxes
public service corporations for 81
on purposes only. Under tins Consti'
ru- ten this cannot be done e tAks
ne feet earlier than 1873