Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-11
STA TE DEBT
To Be PAID.
BY JAM, 1915.
SAYS HAIR 7.
Commissioner Expects Equallza-
ton Plan, Now ective, to Set
lie by Next Year All 0utstand-
ing Obligations and Cut Rates.
Honest Return of Values Urged
to Wipe Out the Inequalities Of
Assessment and Save Georgia
From Unnecessary Humiliation.

Stale Tax Commissioner John C.
Hart believes the State will be able,
under the operation of the new tax
equalization law, which went into eff
feet on January ], to pay every dollar
Of its non-bonded indebtedness by
January l, 1915, and that thereafter
the tax rate may be perceptibly low
cred
Tie Commissioner. while believing
Georgia to be rich and substantially
prosperous, thinks that conditions
will. be greatly relieved by getting
away from the Anticipated and unfair
system of taxation under which the
S..e has been struggling for years
.a his opinion, the fault has been
entirely in the system, which has
permitted abuses and inequalities
t.aj will not be tolerated under the
G.H law.
rommissioner Hart, in a statement
given cut Saturday, says:
TIE State of Georgia is in debt, on
MT accounts, approximately
900. This debt is carried large
HE the school teachers of the
"A most respectable class Of
H,rzi9 citizens, but generally de-
I.n.aut upon their salaries for sup
H.. Many of them have been so
4ad by personal obligations as 10
u. forced to sell the States promise
A.. pay to money lenders, as if the
State was insolvent. Georgia is not
ms. went. Georgia is rich. This fact,
h.aevcr, instead of palliating the
rs failure to meet her obligations
r. ley accentuates the States delin-
q. ncy.
Wants Honest Returns.
If the people Of this State will,
ibis year, return the property which
Is sgbject to taxation at it's fair mar
Eeg eValue, as the law requires, the
State will pay her current debt Of
over $1,2S0,000, and the Governor and
the Comptroller General can cut the
tax rate from mills to 31-2 mills.
This should be done, not alone be-
cause it is just and right, but be-
cause in doing so it would make the
State conspicuous example of hon
esty, thrift and progress.
Georgia taxes money, notes,
mortgages and chooses in action Of
every description and character but
the fact is the State falls far short Of
getting its taxes from this class of
values.
The return for taxation In this
State on money is less than s25, 000,-
O0o yet the report of t..e State Bank
Examiner shows there was on deposit
IN the banks of this State $40, 000,-
600
The return OF merchandise for
taxation in this State IL s41 900, 600,
yet the report of the Insurance De-
partment Of this State discloses that
on merchandise and houses the insur-
snce companies have issued policies
amounting to s426,571,esS
The amount Of property insured
IN this State, In volume, about equals
all the real estate in the cities, all the
real estate in the counties, including
all the land improved and unim-
proved, wild and cultivated, returned
Tor taxation in the entire State Of
Georgia,
The financial problem which con-
fronts this State is critical and seri-
Gus. The existing condition of de-
pleted treasury and tax rate
strained to its limit, whereby in
creased appropriations are not re-
hected in the tax rate, is obliged to
oe fundamentally wrong, and viola
i've of the rule of checks and bal
an'es characteristic of our organic
law
"A Legislature in Georgia may, I'M
o'r present conditions, vote appro-
prjations and make the defense there
TO before the people that 1t, Is not
costing them one cent of additional
l7Nes This defense satisfies the peo-
Pie generally, for they have not I'M
0'rStood the situation.
Taxes at High Point.
While it is true the tax rate is not
4, bat only for the reason it can
.'. for it already stands in the very
"-1.st notch which the Constitution
d.. no state permits.
hnnrOpriations are voted and The
'.Tuor and Treasure are left 10
them, with not a cent of money
which to pay them. These APP
''.'lations become a debt, contrary
'A. Constitution. The remedy Is
TO increase the volume Of property
itduce the high tax rate now
'aI!ing, so that each appropriation
necessarily reflect itself In the
'3te and no Legislature will vote
I'm appropriation which could not
'onded before the people At
Georgia must change these
il. conditions or she Is yet TO
deeper humiliation.
very man who loves his State
feel it his duty to come to the
N.HIes rescue, The knowledge mas
gone abroad that the State is not
ing her debts. Some OF the sister
N.tles deride Georgias situation and
.'o her boast of being the Empire
Slate Of the South
Ne are obliged to concede, In the
ENI Of the record. that we have mo-
.'"h "a Considerate Of the State 6
1''" name as the State deserves.
ere Is no good excuse we can offer
placing the State in this embaf-
s'nent, but we have permitted II
from lack of information than
of loyalty.
Tie people of Georgia now under
Na the situation. and the people
Georgia now give notice to Geor-
sister States that Georgia will.
december 90, 1914. pay her debts
claim again her rightful place in