The Washington herald., 1914-09-25
Vnginia's City and Country Taxes.

The voters of Virginia last Tuesday put upon the
State legislature the responsibility of finding new
sources of revenue by increased taxation by a
higher assessment of all real and personal property
to meet the obligations of the State government The
referendum vote for Statewide prohibition, to take
effect November l. 1916 will, after that date, cut of
$4,000 revenue now received from the liquor traffic.
The State auditors estimates of revenue for the
years 1914 and 1915 were S7,2ooooo for each year.
His estimates for expenses for each of these years
was $66ooooo leaving an estimated surplus of $780,
900 year. The last legislature however appro-
prated $4,000 for each year. leaving surplus of
only 100000 The auditors estimates Of revenue in
cluded the $4,000 received from liquor licenses
end taxes. With this $4,000 cut off in 1910. and
the same expenditures, there will be deficit of
100000 year in the State finances
The legislature must in consequence of the pro-
hibtion policy adopted by the of Tuesday, enter
upon a policy of rigid economy and reduced apPro-
priations or it must find new of revenue to
make up the large deficit 1t is hardly probable that
the legislature will authorize new bdnd issues to
meet this embarrassment, since VirginA now has
per capita indebtedness of 5000, Il the highest
in the United States. Only the States of Massachu-
setts and Arizona have larger per capita indebted
ness than Virginia. Pennsylvania has public debt
not fully covered by the sinking fund
There will be new assessment of all real and
personal property next year. and that assessment will
stand for five years. Personal property in the State
is now taxed to its full value real estate in the
cities is assessed at from so 70 per cent OF its
market value, and farm property, mineral lands and
timber lands in some counties low as 30 per cent
OF their market value The tax commission has called
upon the clerks Of the various counties report on
the relation OF assessed to real value of these farm
l. nd hal
the first move under the new policy will be to in
crease the assessments on the lands and call upon
the farmers for the first installment of revenues
to make up the deficit There ought TO be no objec-
ton to this plan since the prohibition movement
started in the country and has been developed for the
benefit OF the rural sections of the State But even
rural prohbitionsts human when they come in
contact with the assessor and the collector and
it will not be surprising hear loud complaint
from them against increased taxes to make up the
deficit caused by prohibition.
The increase OF taxes will not stop there but will
reach the cities and towns, which pay a much
higher rate OF taxation than the rural districts
They are not in position to complain, since the
majority OF the cities and voted for prohbi
ton. The United States Census Bulletin on Finan-
cial Statistics OF Cities for 1913 shows that the city
OF Richmond has per capita Indebtedness of S6S S.,
NOTtOlk $4,000, fOTtSnOuth S45.S7, Roanoke 5000
and Lynchburg SS08S. These high rates OF per
capita Indebtedness as compared with cities in other
States. The taxes in these cities also high and
increased taxation will be a burden; but such has
been the results OF prohibition in other States and
in adopting this policy after number Of other States
have tried it the people OF Virginia have acted
with their eyes open to the consequences.
Virginia is still rural State, with three-fourths
of the people living outside the towns of 5000 popu-
laton though the principal gains in the last decade
were in the urban population and one-half OF that
gain recorded in five cities Only 38 per OF land
is under cultivation nearly half million less
in 1910 than in 1900 The lands have increased in
value but the production of cereals fruit cattle and
hogs decreased. This may be set up why
the farmers should bear increased tax burdens
and why it should all be placed on the urban popu-
ation The legislature and the tax commission prob
ably will find as much conflict between city and
country in the effort to the deficit caused by
prohibition they did the policy Of prohibition
in the last half-dozen yearA But somebody will have
to pay the piper for the prohibition music in Vir
ginia unless the legislature follows in action as we'll
as in profession the Democratic policy of economy
and down the appropriations more than 100000
year That, too. will meet with opposition, because
the average reformer holds to the old idea that he
can his cake and have it, until it is tried by the
rule OF appropriation and taxation.