Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1913-02-26
THE QUESTION Of TAXES Up.

lnL uU[OIlUn Vi lAAt0 Up
PROBABLY A NEW ASSESS.
MENT OF PROPERTY,
. The Bill 70 Revise SaIisbury's Charter
. Passed House. Bill By Senator Brown.
Raleigh, Feb. 22.-The sub
committee of the Joint Finance
Committee of the Legislature il
contemplating 3 wide departure
in administering the tax laws.
Yesterday they decided to have
an entirely now assessment of
property in North Carolina the
coming year. They also decided
to create three new fat offices,
three Tax Commissioners, at sala-
ries of $S 500 each. to take this
new assessment and see to the col.
lection of the taxes.
The news Of the decision of the
subcommittee has caused no little
comment. Party leaders soy that
new assessment of property, fol-
lowing 90 closely on the heels of
the assessments just had, will be
fatal to the Dem ocratic party in
the close counties.
They say that the assessment
made last year by the Corporation
Commission raised property valu.
alton 1928, 900. 900, which was
$28, 900. 900 more than was expect
ed, aud that We ought to be satis-
fed for awhile.
The members of the subcom-
mittee say in reply that with the
new six.months school law new
as'essment is absolutely necessary.
Replying to this, the opponents
of the reassessment say that the
Corporation Commits 8 on has
pointed out the way TO raise $685.
600 more in taxes with q reassess-
ment which is amply sufficient for
schools.
Letters are pouring in from all
over the State against the idea of
a reassessment, and it is expected
that q battle royal will take place
on the floors of the two houses
when the machinery act 10 PIE.
tented.
There is much opposition to the
creation of the three new Tax
Commissioners at handsome sala-
ries, for, if the resssessment should
be defeated, there would be very
little for them to do but draw
their pay.
Raleigh, Feb. % Tho Joint
Finance Committee on Finance,
! Senator J. P. Cook and Represen-
tative R. r. Williams chairman,
has completed its draft of the new
revenue and machinery bill that
| are to be introduced 10 both
branches of the Legislature early
next week. haying placed the bills
in the hands of the State printers
for introduction in printed form.
In ths meantime, members of the
icommittes will make no statement
Of definite provisions of the bills.
An increase of at least $3.50, 900
| in the States revenue Is aimed at
| in the bills without raising tax
leviss on property. This means
something like $4,000 600 taxes
instead of $8,250,O0O taxes in-
Estead of So. .25O,0O State taxes as
at present. REIMBURSEMENT of the
machinery act is the principal
means counted on to be especially
effective in collecting revenue on
incomes, inheritances, franchises
land kindred sourses. The COM
mittee expects 500. 900, instead
of $4,000 from incomes; $780,
1000 from inheritanoes, instead of
$50, 900; s150, 900 from franchises, :,
instead of $51, 900.
Only IA more days remain for
; this session and two of these will
be Sundays, and the adjustment
of the revenue and machinery
bills will be the absorbing work
for the remainder of the session,
It conceded that there will
be a special session next Fall and
0 indications are that it will be de.
= cided to create State Tax Com.
mission, have a complete new
property assessment; in the mean