The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-07-07
TUESDAY, JULY 7, 1914.
LEST We FORGET

a few days ago we IOunQ meIn-
orandum which was in the ma
ture of an eye-opener and has put
us to thinking. From this mem
orandum we find that in 1901
Madison county had a total as
sessed value of $8,902,000 in
round numbers, and tax rate
of 553 cents for county purposes.
Comparing that with the total
assessed value of Madison county
for 1914, which is $13,353,000 in
round numbers, gives net in
crease in the assessed value of
the property of Madison county
of 4,451,000. Reviewing the cur
rent history of Madison county,
we don't recall that any property
of great value has been brought in
to the county, no new enterprises
have been started, no new CAPT
tai has been brought in, yet there
has been an increase in the value
of the taxable property of the
county to the extent of so per
cent.
This is startling. The increase
of course in the value of the
property is wholly imaginary. 1t
will not produce bushel more
corn, tobacco, hemp or other
staple crops than it did thirteen
years ago. Yet by the mere force
of d vivid imagination its value
has been forced up so per cent.
The increase of taxable property
this year over that of last year is
the startling sum of $380,540,
every nickel of which increase is
purely fictitious and was brought
about by good ink a flowing pen.
The Madison Fiscal Court has
assumed to announce to the over
burdened tax payer that it had
benefcently reduced his burden
of tax one cent on the 500. The
fact about it is that by the figures
of the returning board, sometime
called the board of equalization,
there is added the stupenduous
sum of $264, 800 to the tax burden:
Taking the foregoing sum of
$12,982,550 for the assessed value
of 1913, at the tax rate of $1.20
to the 500, and we find that the
tax burden for 1913 was $155, 100.
Taking the total assessed value
for 1914 of $13,353,OOO at a tax
rate of S1.19 per $500 and we
have a tax of $158,9O0, being an
excess of taxes collected for this
year over that of 1913 of $3,l10.
1t is true the Fiscal Court or.
dered a reduction of one cent on
the tax rate, but it is equally true
that the people of Madison coun
ty dance to the tune of payine
$3,ll0 more this year of theil
hard earned money for the benign
privilege of living in Madison
county under the supreme guild
ance of the Fiscal Court, thar
they did for the like privilege
last year. A mathematical calcu
lation shows that instead of re
ducing the tax burden one cen
to the 500, that it has actually
been increased one and two third.
cents.
The foregoing calculations are
based on the state and count,
tax. The whole tax burden fol
the county of Madison, the cit,
of Richmond and Berea without
special taxes, exceeds the enor
nous sum of over $4,000.
: In this age of profound peace
and when the county has advanc
eb to the highest point of civil
cation, we find that for the pur
pose of having and maintaining
our benefcient government, we
must dig out of the ground anc
take from the pockets of the rich
and poor alike, the enormous
burden of over $4,000.
We would not detract one iota
from the grace and dignity with
which the Honorable Fiscal Court
and the members thereof preside
over the good old county of Mad
ison, nor would we detract from
their reputation for rigid economy
but unfortunately the results O.
cold mathematics show that ir
less than thirteen years the PEG
pie of Madison county have beer