The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-05-27
Work Will Not be Complete
July 1.
NO AGREEMENT REACHED
Township Appraisers Are
Standing Pat.
FAX Commission viii Doubtlessly be
Given the Job of Raising Values
on Real Estate In Most Townships
In the County.

Appraisers from the various town.
ships gathered in the probate court
room Thursday and discussed the ul-
timatum given them by Auditor Charl-
es l. Allen last week. Mr. Allen told
them that they must either raise
there valuations on an equality with
those placed on property in the city
and in the villages or the tax COM
mission would raise the valuation for
them.
Practically all of the township ap-
praisers attended the meeting. When
It was adjourned they had reached no
definite decision. Some Of the apprais
ers favored raising the Valuations In
their respective townships, their con-
tituents desiring to have them make
the changes instead of having some
one sent in to do 1t for them. Others
claim that they will stand by the
figures they have put on their books
and viii fight against any increase
being made. If increases are made by
the assessors, 1t Is said, the valuai ions
! will only be raised 10 such a point
| that the running expenses of the
townships can pe met by the levy un-
der the one and one-half per cent tax
limit law.
The appraisers are one and all
against higher valuations. They main
tain that the clause, real value in
money" can only mean the amount
on which the farms pay six per cent
interest. But this position is unten-
lnl, fA. l,n hot ierh
have fifty acres of woods This land
would produce nothing and there
would be no income from IT, 1t could
hardly be supposed that It should not
be taxed.
The appraisers in the townships and
in this city have put the property on
at its real value in money while it is
certain that the township appraisers
have not done so, say those in a posi-
tion to know. This will mean, unless
the figures are changed, that the city
and village property owners must pay
more than their share of the taxes
and the farmers less than their share.
Instances have been cited where
the country appraisers have appraised
farm property at one-third the amount
that the same property brought in
forced sale on the court house steps.
The Langdon bill creates a tax COM
mission with power to raise the vaIu-
ations where the appraisers refuse TO
make the increases and list property
for taxation at its true value. The
commission may employ some one to
do this who does not reside in the
township. The law does not give the
appraiser the right to list property
according to its earning capacity, but
according to it's real value In money.
If property sells at 500 an acre, with
IL willing buyer and q willing seller,
then such property should be put on
the tax duplicate at 800 per acre. This
Is the claim OF Auditor Allen and of
all the appraisers except those in the
townships.
1t became known today that the
city appraisers, who will be unable 10
complete their work before their pay
stops on July l, have discovered
way to get around working all sum
mer WITHOUT remuneration The legls-
lature refused to give the appraisers
an eXtention with pay. claiming that
the work must be done by July / or
completed without pay. It will take
the local board a month and perhaps
two months after July to complete
the work.
1t Is certain that all Of the clerks
VIII resign on July /, as they will not
work for nothing. The appraisers, too
viii hand in their designations on that
date and the appraisment Will be left
unfinished, 1t will then be up 10 Audi
tor Charles l.. Allen to appoint ap-
praisers and clerks and their pay must
come out of the county treasury. AS
the present members have all of the
work under way 1t is certain that no
one could step In and take IL up
where the present board would leave
It, hence 1t is obvious that the same
men VIII be reappointed by the Audi
tor and they will receive pay for each
day they are required to work after
July l.
1t was learned on very reliable auth.
orlty that the local board proposes 10
take the above given step and other
appraisers throughout the county who
have not finished on July l viii prob
ably do likewise.