The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1910-12-31
REASSESSMENT WORK
DRAGS SLOWLY ON

Complaints are being entered from
all sections N the State regarding the
work oi rcasSessmcnt, which was be-
gun last summer Under the law
thirty days was fixed as the time for
the completion oi the work, but the
Governor was given authority to ex-
tend the period ii II was found neces-
sary. 1t seems to have been found
necessary in quite a few counties
Cecil among them. Some OF the coun-
ties, to be sure have finished the work,
but more have not. and it is being
charged that the assessors are nurs-
ing the job out of consideration for
the per diem. II is also charged that
in some places the assessors are using
the reaSscsmcnt as an opportunity to
play politics. At an yrate the work
OF re-assessmcnt as viewed from the
State in general, seems To be III first
class condition OF 'botch' and much
dissatisfaction is naturally cngendercd
thereby.
Not only is the rate for county taxes
estimated from the taxable basis, but
the levy for State purposes is csti'
mated in the same way. Hence Balti-
more city and every county IN the
State are interested In knowing that
the rate Tor every other city and
county is fair Any other scheme oi
valuation is an unjust one. Baltimore
city is especially interested, for the
great bulk OF the taxes tor Maryland
are pad there The demand for re-
assessment came .argcly from the city
because the people there let that the
rcasscssmcnt uf property values there
as continual operation kept them
right up to thG mark. while the coun'
ties were permitted 10 escape THEFT
Just share ~ the burdens because OF
the long periods that elapsed be-
tween asses ,mcnts. the last having
been made in the counties IN 1000
Where the rcvaluatiuu has been hon.
estiy made the Justice ui Baltimore S
claims has been substantiatcd
WANT FAIR VALUATION
County officials are interested in q
fair valuation ui property. tor they are
generally pressed ior the necessary
morley Tor governmental expenses.
Either the basis or the rate must be
high 1t is easier TO get the money
whc uthc basis is high Moreover d
high tax rate creates a bad impression
on the. outside
The .c is no genera, court Tor tine
rev ~ OF values Hence the basi'
Il H. county by county, as It /, fin
..htsSslaoiisnta by local authority. i
: N injustice is done it must be toler
ated%
ASSESSORS NURSING JOBS,
In some cases the assessors are be
ilcycd to be working hard at their
task In others, IT is claimed that they
are nursing their job al they can IL
one county the assessors are alleged
to have met and decided that til,
thing for them was gentleman
day, and they construed this 10 mcar
five hours a day. They did not wi,l
10 work ON Saturday. So they dccldcC
to extend the time TO six hours ioi
five days in the week. On this basis
they went ON with the work Need
less to say the assessment in th!'
county is not wei advanced.
In some ui the counties the Com
missioncrs meet in May 10 fix the rate
10 rthc succeeding year. These Off
cials are already beginning To ,ccl Z
little rcstivc, They are afraid the as
SCISSORS will not have the new yalua
tions completed by that time. In al
most all, Il not all the counties, July
is the limi, ior making up til cac
counts for the following fiscal year
which opens ON October /.
In Cecil the taN rate /, fixed 10
June ,or the following year. It now
seems quite certain that the new a.,
Scssmcnt will not hc completed ~ tbl-
county ~ time iur next years levy
Only two election district, ont pi min,
have been covered by the assessors.