Milford chronicle., 1915-08-06

IN the past week the people of the
northern part of Sussex County have
received the blank forms on which they
must make the return to the Assessment
Board at Georgetown of all property
owned by them; giving detailed descrip-
ton as to the number of acres, the build
| ings and their condition and The ActNal
palNe of the property as a whole, and
also locate the property returned as in a
special election district. After the blank
is filled up. the property owner or one in
control of the property, must SaOear that
the statement is true, and should this
oath be found to have been made to an
evident mis-statement of the value Of the
property, either real or personal, the one
so swearing is liable to prosecution in the
courts for perjury, and on conviction, be |
sentenced to the workhouse. This is the |
first move in making the assessment un-
der the new laws as enacted by the last !
Legislature, and the people should try to
be as exact as it is possible. Your state
ment is not the final basis for assessment;
for, should it be discovered that you have
lied as to values, the law provides for
calling in three or more disinterested and
well skilled persons on cash value of prop
erty and they will have the power to fix
the true value, and you will be liable for
a trial in court for having made a false
return We learn that a few men who
should know better, and do know better,
have advised several small property own
ers to take the assessment as it was made [
by the local assessors in the past and
add few hundred dollars to that amount
and send that in as their return. We Z
want to warn all such people that the Y
Board of Assessment for Sussex County,
of three prominent men who !
1ave been identified with the business 4
lffairs of the county for many years, are d
acquainted with the movement recon- L
nended by these men, and they will GER
ainly prosecute the first instance dis =
,overed. and their purpose is to select if t
possible one of the most prominent of S
hose who have advised others to act dis q
honestly in the compiling of the assess Il
nent. A true valuation of the property r
II an equal basis all over the county g
hould reduce, and will reduce, the tax d
ate forty per cent, for we fully believe c.
hat the property is undervalued to more e
han that amount now. 1t requires a GER c
ain amount of money to meet the obli- y
ations of the county each year, and the :,
of property on the county a
list has made the small house al
r land owner pay a greater proportional p
art of the total amount than the holder
many acres or houses. Just meet this Il
lestion squarely and fill the blanks as IL
ear correctly as it is possible, and there IL
i'll be no cause for trouble for ANYBODY. al
ut if you follow the advice of the dis til
onest old money lover, or the dishonest te
Twice of professional man, you will be to
ling up trouble for yourself in the fu- WI
re; for it is sure to be discovered, and CO
e attorney who is back of the county id
III compel strict enforcement of The a
VS. when presented to him by the Board
Assessment. Be honest, be fair, and in
e people Of Sussex County will get what to
ey have been clammoring for, and an tai
ual distribution of the burthen of taxa in.
III will follow. sir