The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-26
POLLARD OPPOSES
BYRO'S TAX BILL
Finance Committee Chairman
Says 1t Gives Too Much
Power to One Man.
WOULD NOT CURE DEFECTS
believes That It Would Still Put
Tax Burdens on Larger
Cities i'll Virginia.

! Opposition to the Byrd bill for the
equalization OF taxes, now pending be-
| fore the General Assembly. is an
nounced by H. r. Pollard, Jr.. chair
man of the Committee on Finance of
| the City Council president of the Rich
mond Bank and Trust Company, and
head of the real estate firm of Pollard
EaEhy. on tho ground that It is i'm
practicable; that 1t centres too much
power in the commits <! on,r. and tina
without correcting the defects It is
meant 10 reach, 1t will in practical CT
feet work a great hardship on the
larger cities OF the Commonwealth
Mr. Pollard admits that the evils which
the Byrd bill seeks to correct exist
tina, many counties do not pay their
Just burden of taxation. leaving TO Il
few counties and 20 the cities the bur
den Of supporting the state But he
contends that The pending equalization
hill will not provide this remedy. al
though at IN" first glance legislation
along the line proposed might seem
desirable.
If the bill is read carefully" said
Mr.. Pollard yesterday 'T am sure any
one Will become convinced tina. the
Ideas and purposes for which II was
drawn arc utterly imPr>acticablc
Opc-Mnr Power
The bill SHOULD rot pass for ono
reason alone, IL for TO other. and that
reason is that II gives entirely 100
much power 20 ttNa commissioner. He
would have more authority than the
present state Corporation Commission.
While that bod! has authority alone II
tax corporations, the commissioner has
authority 20 :aS eve-: ono IN the state.
The welfare o. the whole State
would be in his hands. Il IS true that
the bill provides tina, ne shall be
supervised by a board that shall meet
al least twice year. but. OF course
everything would nc lef, TO the com
missioner.
Where docs vhe General Assemely
this job? To DC able 10 fix the as
sessmeHt Of property. real and per
sonal from -AccoHac to Wise. ana to
be posted on all local conditions in
each county In the State. IS too big
fob 20. any one man in Virginia or
in any other state
What Richmond Pays.
1T is claimed, l understand. that
this hill was intended 70 make the
country districts pay their proper
tion OF taxes. Richmond alon, SO Il
IS stated. pays into the state treasury
$4,000 moro than she receives.
While this does not seem just SO far
as am concerned rs x-paycr and
citizen OF Richmond. I had much
rather continue 10 pay this proper
tomas amount 100 much nan TO try
,h.. new Bill.
Tine commissioner could not pos-
sioly get acquainted w!th all OF the
taxable values in the state. while he
might Do 50 in some OF the larger
cities and adjacent territories there
10, and the result. would he that the
r3m!nunttics that a.. now paying
more taxes than they should would
aave their taxe= increased and the
Inaccessible districts and counties
would remain just as they are today.
Country Lands saIdom Sold.
How could one man undertake to
esta olish Il standard OF the assessahle
value % all the property III the state ?
Even Il he could DO 50, .hls would
work TO the disadvantage OF th> cities.
for il would Dc &c rUeh easier to
establish standard OF value In the
cities than the counties II !s a we'll
known fact that thc roro valuable
property In the country. districts IS
never sold. ami there wouit he no way
to establish q sta adard Of value cx-
ccpt b. the price OF tas chcape r
grades Of property that nrc sold.
There arc many other objections
that might be raised to the bill, but
! tho fact OF liz ono man powcr' Is
t-n |.