Milford chronicle., 1915-09-03

nave Deen favored by the local assess
ors and whose property has been as
sessed at fourth or half of its value,
VINO object to the new system. To
the average citizen the new law. If
carried out by the Board of Assess
nent, will prove a blessing. Experi-
ence has shown that the small prop-
erty owner is generally assessed to
nearly the value Of his propertv.
Such person has neither the power
nor the inclination to influence the
local assessor in the matter Of his
assessment. But the large property
owner has in the past very generally
escaped lightly and has not paid his
Ialr and proportionable share of the
TAX burden of the County. Dozens of
times In my personal experience have
l heard large property owners in
duce assessors, members of the Board
OF Revision, and members of the Levy
Court to reduce their assessment on
the sole ground that their tax bill
was such large amount, irrespective
OF the value of the property owned.
The provisions of the law recurring
the assessors to assess property at its
Just and true value were made a joke
and by-word, and caused the great
est discomfort among the taxables,
and there grew up to be a feeling, not
altogether unjustified, that there was
one law for the rich man and another
Tor the poor man. The object of the
present law is to bring about a uni
formity of assessment and taxation,
and the only way to secure this result
is to place upon each piece of proper
ty valuation equal to its fair selling
price. 1t remains to be seen whether
many persons will deliberately make
false return to the Board of Assess
ment. 1t is quite true that ideas of
valuation will always differ, and it is
quite conceivable that some few per-
sons will deliberately place a valua-
tion upon their property which they
know is not its true valuation. Such
persons should be handled by the
Board of Assessment without gloves,
and example should be made of a few
of the most fragrant offenders, and, if
the Board Of Assessment shall per-
form fearlessly and without favor the |
duties imposed upon it by the new law |
prosecuting those who wilfully offend, |
the people of Sussex County will find |
~ NAAG NOhA DC VI q AgW gNeAAo . that AAAI |
assessments of property are fair and |
uniform as commanded by the laws |
and constitution of the State.
1t is the duty of every citizen to look |
upon person who wilfully and delib- |
erately falsifies an assessment return |
in the light as any other criminal, for
such person does wrong to every
taxable in the county, and is guilty of .
conduct in some degree more repre-
hensible than the person who commits
a crime against an individual.
Success or Failure of This New Law
Rests With the Board.
The success or non-sucess of this
new system is in large degree in the
hands of the present Board of Assess
ment. The members of the present
Board were selected because they
were believed to be citizens who were
not only willing, but were able to de-
vote their time and energy toward the
carrying out of the provisions of the
assessment law. They were hOnOred
with the opportunity to remedy one of
the greatest evils the people Of this
county have suffered, that is, the un-
fair distribution of the tax burden.
1t was admitted that the first Board
would be confronted with more labor
and difficulties than succeeding Boards
would be, for the reason that the
burden is upon them to establish the
system. All laws will fail when the
fail in their duty. The
intent of the present law is a personal
and thorough examination of property
by the Board of Assessment in each
of the districts so that it may be as
certained whether the returns made
by the property owners represent the
true value of the property returned.
If the members of the Board of As
sessment fail in this, if they, to save
time and labor, fail to go personally
into the several districts to make a
examination of property val
ues, as the purpose and intent Of the
law undoubtedly is, but shall rely up
On the returns made by owners, max
ing corrections in fragrant cases only,
[ do not hesitate to say that every one
will welcome a return to the old sys-
tenn, as bad as that has proven to be.
The compensation allowed by the
present law is not what it should be,
Dut it is all that could be obtained,
md it was the hope of every one who
ought for this new law that the MEM
1ers Of the Board would prove to be
such who would not permit the in
adequacy Of compensation to stand in
he way of a thorough discharge Of
he duties imposed upon them. The
aw will not prove a success unless
he members of the Board by personal !
examination and inquiry become IA s
niliar with the property values Of the {
everal districts, so that they will be /
.ble to make an intelligent study Of {
he assessment returns. This duty
.annot be left to the Clerk Of the :
3oard, nor can the responsibility be ,
asst upon some person in each dis
rict selected by the Board. The
uties Of the position are onerous and
The Board will be placed
n positions Of delicacy and which S
nav we'll strain friendships, and none [
nut a rigid observance Of the law and a
he most careful scrutiny Of the re-
urns, with prompt action in the case
+ incorrect or false returns will work