Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-05-08
HARMON AIDS
small TAXPAYER
Ohio Land Owners Taxes Low.
cred 100000 Annually.

swner should be assessed at GO per
cent OF the valuation of his property
and the corporation at 10 per cent"
said Governor Harmon. of Ohio. re-
Gently in the course of a speech he
delivered at farmers picnic in
Pennsylvania. Il set out some years
ago to limit the taxation in Ohio.
The taxes were not fair and equal to
the small home owner and farmer.
They were taxed too much while the
corporations were not taxed enough.
wanted property values equalized.
didn't want the farmer and home
cwner to go down in his weasel skin.
when the tax collector came around.
for more than an equal share with
that which the corporations were
paying"
Ohio public records bear indisput-
able testimony to the fact that Gov
ernor Harmon accomplished what he
says he set out to do. Accurate tax
data. collected in every taxing dis
trict in the state. show that under
the Harmon tax reforms in 1911 the
Ohio farmer and home owner will
pay 81 600, 600 less taxes than they
paid in 1910. There has been a cor
responding increase to corporate
property.
Public tax records OF the present
administration show that Governor
Harmon has done more for the PEG
pie OF moderate means-the small
home owner and farmer-than any
OF the governors that preceded him;
and Il is also asserted that no other
governor in the United States ever
obtained a reform that carried SO
much benefit to so large a number
of people as have the Harmon tax
reforms. This explains why Cover
nor Harmon is so popular in Ohio.
When Judson Harmon became gov
ernor. real estate was appraised at
from % to as per cent OF true value.
while corporate property was placed
on the duplicate at from 5 to 40 per
cent OF true value. and real estate
owners staggered under unjust bur
dens. This was because local asses
sors worked independently, and be-
cause corporate property values were
too frequently fixed by officers OF
corporations.
The Ohio governors first step 60
correct this condition was the estab-
iishment of a state tax commission,
which was given general supervision
over all local assessors and was
given authority TO force q strict ad-
ministration of all tax laws. includ-
ing a constitutional provision re-
} Quiring all property to be appraised
for taxation at true value.
The maximum tax rate that could
be levied was limited to / per cent
= so that the increase TO duplicates
which would come from appraisine
all property at true value, could not
! be used to provide money for eX
, travagant purposes. Expenditures by
public officers were limited to a Ger
! tain amount-in 1911 no more tai
3 money can be raised that was pro
1uced by the levies OF 1910.
= Before these limitations, expend
e lures by the state, county, municipa
I and township government officer
+ mounted at the rate of $4,000, 600
n year. During the past decade tn
population in Ohio increased 14.5 pc
4 cent, the tax duplicate only 35 pc
d cent, while the amount OF none
8 raised for taxation mounted at tn
D. rate Of 68 per cent.
a The people realized that the fai
3. ure of corporations to pay their Jus
II share of taxes was the cause for tn
- extra burden borne by the man {
r moderate means, but. until the nrei
IS ent administration. no executive
8. the state ever undertook to equaliz
m the taxes To do this 1t was nece
sary to increase the property valu
II ton Of the corporations. Figures al
Is nounced by the state tax commissio
or show that in 1911 the appraisemeI
II. o. Ohio railroads for taxation ma
Is been increased from $166, 469.599
1910, before the Harmon tax reform
to $3.50, 100000 The additions to a
public utilities aggregate 81 900 .00t
:. 900, while AN additional 81 900 900 Oh
has been added to private corpor
ton property. In 1911 the railroa,
aloE, will pay 1888, 200 more tax
"A than they did in 1910.
- The big tax duplicates have hroug
Ia about the following reduction in q
n tax rates per 500 OF property in L
cd following cities:
We Name OF City. 1910 10
ed Cleveland .............. S3.4S 81.
y. | Columbus 3.l2 |.
lis Hamilton .........-..... 3. - l.
lie Coshocton -.......-..... $50 I