The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-03
General Comment
Segregation of Taxes the Only Remedy.

Seq regntfon of Taxes the Only Remedy
/ We note In the report OF the hearing before
week in relation to the appointment Of land
assessor for the county, that Captain Crandal
Mackey the Commemorative Attorney. In adj
Vocating the appointment of "a certain gentle
man, said he lin favor of low assessment.
but in accordance with law. and the law called
for assessment at fair cash value" Mr. Lyon.
whose appointment he favored boldly main
tanned that view Judge r. Gordon Finney said
obedience to the law. proposed by Lyon.
was right. and he hoped other would
he named"
County Clerk Geo H. Rocker in advoca ting
he appointment of another gentleman, Mr.. WI
bert said large share of the taxes collected
IN the county now 20 into the State treasury
2pd that a largely increased assessment would
add greatly TO the countys unfair burden
this account, and, therefore ne opposed Lyons
proposed valuations"
The discussion proceeded largely along these
ines The Judge appointed Dir. Harry Thomas.
We refer to this matter only to emphasize
tie fatal mistake that would be made should
the General Assembly adopt the ma jority report
of the state Tax Commission and perpetuate the
present iniqutous system of taxation, whereby
THE state would continue to participate with the
counties and cities in the revenue derived from
direct tax real estate and tangible personal
property So iong that system obtains, certain
communities will continue to depress their
aessments so as to avoid. far as possible,
paying their due share Of the state tax, thus
Government upon communities like Alexandria
and Fairfax Counties and the City of Aiexan-
dria which pay more into the state treasury
than they draw thorefrom. This system in
Srlfe of all the expensive, intricate and ineffec-
ike devices that have been suggested would
continue these abuse s~snd work great hardship
upon every part Of the Commonwealth In its
final analysis il viii be found that tax lodging
does not pay. even In those communities where
It has been successfully practieed for SO many
years for strangers will not invest where they
are asked SIS or 800 per acre for land which
thfN find assessed at from So to SIS per acre:
aid vet the offending communities can be relied
upon to continue to dopress their assessments.
On the other hand, ban is placed upon the
communities where the assessments rea-
s2habie and Just To comply strictly with the
letter Of the law is assume q burden which
is not theirs in justice or In equity and they
cannot be- blamed for hesitatng to bear tho
burden that belongs in part TO others Thus
me system produces most deporable condi-
ton Of affairs and dp+rfa All efforts tt, secure.
an equalization Of the tax burden.
The segregation plan, proposed by a minority
oi the Sta.e Tax Commission, would correct this
growing evil 1t would permit each community
/ 10 retain all the taXes derived from real estate
and tangible personal property. and there would
no longer be any incentive TO underassess such
property. The tax rates could be lowered as
values increased and the burden upon the peo-
pie woold not be increased proportionately with
] the assessment. Alexandria County Fairfax
County and Alexandria city would save many
thousands Of dollars by the adoption of the seq
fegation plan 1T commands the approval OF tho
great mass OF the people who have given the
matter due consideration The following extract
from the Richmond letter In last Saturday &
+ Washington Star is significant:
/ -ihose Interested in determining 1.-THE scnti-
tnent of the legislature on the report of the
lax commission have been at work for several
days Speaker Cox has ordered the finance
committee to meet here January g. one week
IN advance of the date set for the legislature
n r,rKJa
hiiiS and 10 be ready To report after they
shan have been referred for consideration and
report
Men engaged in sounding out members have
declared that not less than fifty-seven or sixty
are III favor OF the segregation plan Of the mi
nortty of the commission and have so declared
Forty others will vote on the proposition These
are said TO be about evenly divided. FAIRFAX
Herald