The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-03-14
"A LAMENTABLE ERROR
lBy l. M. DAVIS.

~ by 1. M. DAVIS
vrgnan does not want the impression that il isl
q the way to ctce the actions Of the city commits
me who have been anonted
Chief Of the Domain Fmon to whose beck
M the past years have been forced sam
Economy from the paths their Beloved and Long
public duty though pains us distressing
attention to their Fawng subency TO the Numerical
Party Lash even though thew are only snb ~
torture four hours per day.
apoogzed ior what say further down
We @ constrained to again expose to the view of startled
recent action Of the commissioners ATTEMPT
not merely asse violation only the provisions Of
direct and equvoca violation ordinances the CITY
record and the refer is the appoint
nent Of the city assessor
that had saved would city, the enormous sum
H. hundred dollars per year By
n the city about $500 before city were en-
in all probability be worth about boundary
Let US inquire into the economical Efficient features ignoring
% an other city appointments save the who
appointment belongs to the political placed
me strange has never been
we are not in attempting ce officer Of the
nothing against his official made
no into it. and do profess just efficient he
has exception city last year which
we brought into question: and which
assessed value property of the city of Faimont according
assessment round numbers Dollars
the Greater Farmon charter it will in ali
reach approximately Sixteen Millions of Dollars possibly
property foundation Of our muncipa
It in fact the capital stock of corporation every
That being the case do not the people
believe that would have been more efficient and eco
have employed citizen of Faimont who acquainted with
property values in the city this property!
$500 have added to apprecbe exten burden upon
this have been saved the city by allowing salary
Of to remain at $500 instead Of raising ooos
Would II not have been worth $40 0exra oave competent city
SCISSOR conjunction with the
the advantage Of both their judgments and experienced
property is to be condemned for railroad or'oh public purposes
BY order of court the appoint
to place the value the property Mems ideas
differ widely sometimes and it assessing the
the CITY, The custom heretofore has been for the county
the city assessor over the city appraise the property and
cases opinions Of the city ASSESSOR who familiar with local
this system have the judgment board two assessors
certainly advantageous thing for the people
whose to bear the tax burdens So would light
that there has been economy in this and the
county assessor less familiar with values than my citizens
the be- it plain be that there
cheney as5we have had undertheformer plan,
much for that We recall that citizens large
of the city felt aggeved
the county assessor and took the matter before the board equalization
and corrected and further inclined believe that
corrected he thought the opinions Of the county
were not sound to city property values how he
having the City property agan'F
we think are sufficient reasons why the commissioners should
the city these values and in This way they can
secure the cooperation Of the county without cost the
heIe IS ana pet reason why this echould be
and that is direct violation city ordinance
which provides that the city shall bona
fide in the city.
The county assessor is neither
He sleeps and Lincoln district according
information.
Chapter 10 Of the city ordinance reads as follows:.
Sec L. There shall be appointed by the council the
ctyof Farmont at the first regular meeting April
soon thereafter as practical an oicer-to be called the city
assessor WHO SHALL BE A RESIDENT AND BONA Eide
VOTER IN SAID CITY, r.
The upon appointment assessor the
word believe, mentioned in it
charter rpadsa fol oWs - Z
I'm addition to the municipal authorities mentioned
ctvsb have clerk