The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-02-08
TOWNSEND OFFERS MORE
ARGUMENT ON law
Mace oRkLE BILL yo utp BRING
ABOUT HEs1 rs, DSPLAcE Z IT
ON 9 n g SMALL y! All TAxPAYER

fssss5 ti.} ~ ~ ~
CHARLESTON. W. Va. Heb. 81
Following % No. 5, Of Tax eomrals.
sioner Townsend,s series of articles on
Senate bill No. IA: 55sS
III Senate bill No. IL were enacted
into law. the conditions existing In
this state prior to 1904. would be re.
stored. As q matter Of fact Il seems
to be the Intention OF this bill TO 60
back 70 the 1904 ditlons. 10 sabol.
ish the State taxscomm mlssloner.s once
and restore "falr cash value z would
bring about substantially the san,e
conditions as existed the state prior
to 1904. * y
r When the tax cpnmission Of 1902
made It's report; inl which were ems
bodied substantial Tie laws as they
exist today. who was. at that OBJECTED
mosta Who lodged the most cam.
plants against the laws? Every pub.
lie service corporation In The state
setup the cry that the new laws would
ruin the state. Every owner 81 yaitt
able properly that was undertaxed.
complained Every owner of largo
tracts Of unimproyedi land, Complained.
t..j 3 cutlnfTax Rato,
i "fn 1904, the average tax rate for
all purposes in West Virginia waa I
is2.15son the 500 valuation IN 1910
the average tax rate ior: all purposes
was so.s43 on the 800 valuation, the I
lowest of AMI. Of the forty eight states
Of the American union, and many of !
the states assess at the same standard
of value as West Virginia In 1904
the publicSutillty properly of the state.
that is railroads, pipe lines, ETC. paid
10,6 per cent Of all the taxes; levied for
all purposes. In 1911, !, the same class
Of property paid s2sl per cent. of:all the (
taxes levied tor ali purposes. Senate
BILL No II would take us back to tho
conditions that existed In 1ao4sand iob
of 50 per cent. Of the taxes paid BY
the railroads, pipe ilnes. express com.
panles, etc. Z
Express Companies
'.In 1904, Adams Express Company
paid taxes on a property valuation Of
$3.50. In 1910, this ,companyswas val.
ued at s272.oO0.
.In 1904, the Southern Express
Company paid taxes on q valuation Of
$1,000, while in 1910 the property Or
this company was valued at s245, 900:
These increases inlvalue resulted from
the work Of the tax commissioners
office in making investigations ottho
property Of these companies. Senate
bill No. IA would decrease the Adams
Express Company $3.50, no, the u s,
Express Company s243,92os and woaId
take all the value away from the
Southern Express Company. except
= d
the paltry sum Of s25. Yes, abolish
the tax commisalon ner,s office, restore
"falr cash yalue' and with IL Increase
the tax rate from so.s4 on the 500 to
s2.l5 on the 800; let the law work
automatically with no one to enforce
lt;Glltt the taxes from the shoulders
Of those most able to pay and place It
upon those who bore It prior TO 1sol.
and this all can be done by the pas
sage Of Senate bill No. ~, or hoase
bill No. 80.
Condition In Charleston.
(. To restore condlt ltons Sas they exist
ed prior to 1901, is evidently the III.
tention Of Senate bill No: II. The rate
Of taxation in the city Of charle lesion in
1904 was 5s3.45 on the hundred. The
owner of.s1,ooo deposit N q savings
bank at three per cent: would derive
from It $40 in interest The taxes on \:
Continued on Page EIant.,
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