Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-03-11
o HIGHrAx RATE.

Concerning the high tax rate about
which Rev. Mr.. Wilcox has something
to say in this number OF the Democrat
Fin the issue of February Is we urged
the Importance of having efficient as
SCISSORS appointed for the various
townships by the commissioners rath
er than appoint those who merely
want a county job without regard to
fitness.
If the powers that be will see to it
that a man equal to the task is ap-
tpointed as county assessor and equally
efficient ones are named as his assist
ants in the townships, the high tax
rate problem in Henderson county AMI
Hendersonyille will be materially
remedied, for so long as such scandals
as some of those of the past are per-
petrated in fixing ridiculously low
valuations in many instances we will
have to tolerate a high and uncompli-
mentary tax rate for both city and
county.
The following remaks from the
/ Statesville Landmark on this subject
! are worth serious consideration:
''This year it is provided that there
shall be but one assessor in each
township; the county assessor shall
visit each township, meet with the
local assessor and fix the value on the
real estate; the county commission
ers remain a county board of equalt-
zation.
eff the township assessors were
men who knew the value of the prop
erty in their township; of intelligence
enough to fix a fair taxable value on
all alike and of courage enough to
stand by it; and if county assessors
were men of like qualifications they
could. with their knowledge of values
obtained by visiting the whole county
at least fix a fairer valuation than has
been the custom. But The Landmark
expects no such results. Things will
rock along about as usual. Inasmucl'
as it is proposed, in putting on a
county assessor, to cut out one asses.
sor does not increase the cost and tho
change can do not harm, even If 1t
does no particular good. The objec-
ton raised by legislators that they
didn't want the assessor for their
counties named in Raleigh" was talk.
In the first place, if the assessment
of property is ever wen proportionate-
~ equalized under the present system,
it must be done by outsiders. Home
folks will always hold down the as
sessment. In the second place, the
won't be named in Raleigh"
His name will be sent there by the
folks who run things back home.
"The worst evil, by far, in the tax
system is the custom of discriminating
against cheaper property and small
payers by fixing a higher value IN
proportion to it's worth than is fiTei
more valuable property. Every
body who knows anything about tax
assessments realizes the outrageous
Injustice of the system, but it is con
tinued without excuse simply because
i: is a custom. A citizen quoted by
the Raleigh News and Observer makes
the same statement about this matter
that The Landmark and other news
papers and people have so OTTER
and he offers a remedy that
has been often suggested and that
could be easily applied, and that is
First find the value, the cash value, OF
every piece of real estate and then
agree on a basis of assessment-23
Eel cent, so per cent. or whatever may
be considered necessary. But first
fx the cash value, then apply the
per centage of assessment to
all and all will be treated alike. That
be done and it is the only just
way. But it is too much to expect"