The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-18
THINKS CIRCULAR Will J
COST STATE 100000
Examiner OF Records williams H.
Sands Makes Statement Covering
Back Tax Situation.
WILL REPORT ALL OMITTED.
Major Sands Insisted That Law he
Executed I'm Every District of the
state In Justice to AIl-Tax Dodgers
In the Minority.

Ine last circular issued by the State
ADVISORY Tax Board. in which exami-
neIs OF records, commissioners of
revenue ana local tax boards are adj
vised TO confine their work at this
time 70 this years assessments. will.
IN the opinion OF Major William II.
sands. examiner of records for this
district. cost the State of Virginia
sz,ooo,ooo Major Sands yesterday is-
SUED statement covering the omitted
.aA SITUATION ana explaining his posi-
follows:
AT the first meeting OF the State
Aovisory Board. at their invitation, I
was present. and l protested at that
meeting against the execution Of this
law In this district and not else where
IN the state as being an injustice to
citizens OF Richmond, whereupon the
board gave me their positive assurance
tnat the examiners in every section
OF the State would be required faith
iuily to discharge their duty or else
De removed. / accepted this state
ment of the board as being made in
good faith and at their instance took
up with the several examiners the
question OF their duties and the best
way to perform their work.
Wanted Work Thoroughly Done.
The board stated that they pro-
posed to have this work done in
thorough manner, and where II APP
peared the examiner was failing to dis
charge his duty. they would see to 1t
that he was removed. They requested
me to draft paper upon this subject.
which l declined to do. They then
directed the auditor TO prepare such
q paper. =
This he did. and on June IS this
paper was adopted by the board and
issued under their instruction. using
the following language:
The State Advisory Board desires
to be perfectly frank with the taxing
officers and begs leave to state that
II viii insist that assessors, commits
sioners OF the revenue and examiners
OF records. all bonded officers. sworn,
to faithfully perform their duties. dis
charge the duties required OF them by
law with respect to assessments, and
where the facts demonstrate that
these officers have not done so. they
will be held responsible upon their
official bonds for failure TO perform
their duty
The State Advisory Board hopes
that II will not be called upon to re-
quest the removal by the court OF any
officer for failure to execute the laws
and states frankly that 1t will, in the
performance OF its own duties. not
hesitate to take this action where
circumstances demand IT.
Board Insists on It.
't0n the same day they prSbared an
other paper. In which this language
was used:
:. NE beard learns that some of
the examiners are actively. earnestly
and efficiently making examinations
and Investigations in their circuits.
This communication ia. therefore. not
only to stimulate all examiners In their
work, but to frankly advise them that
the board will expect and insist that
the work be done thoroughly. efficient
ly and fearlessly in every circuit
State VIII Lose $2,OOO,OOO.
II suggested to the board that they
should indicate how many years the
Investigation should cover. and they
stated that while they could not re-
uuire the examiners to continue their
Investigations over any number of
years, II was clearly their duty to re-
port omitted property whenever To-
Gated or discovered: that the Legisla-
ture had by its action determined that
no property should escape taxation.
In my opinion" says Mr.. Sands,
1.-The last circular Of the State Advisory
Board Is a very expensive one for the
State. and win likely cost her over
.S2,o en, 900. and II ia in the very teeth
OF the law as made known to the
board through the Encouragement.
This loss one of these days will be
charged up against the board by those
who In part, have correctly and regu-
larry paid their dues TO the State.
The majority OF our citizens have
faithfully discharged this duty: those
now reported are those heretofore
evading their Just obligations and are
In the minority, / am pleased to re-
port.
TN over one hundred interviews I
have had with the auditor of public
accounts since June IS. he has urged
that all omitted property discovered
be reported !.
II had every reason to believe that
both OF the papers issud by the board
were prepared In good faith.