The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-03-04

tneik ftltAt-uic part Of tue TAX bur
dens, known as tax dodgers" will
have no avenue of escape under the
system. IL will also guarantee a great
or inhuz OF capital and Of GREATER
magnitude than has beea experienced
heretofore. This has been the result
Of the adoption OF the classification
method in other states. and why
should We not profit by their expert.
ence2
e wonid regret very much TO see
the levy for state Spurp oses raised be.
yond3 the ten cents now imposed. 70
do so would be a reversal of the policy
upon which the state entered some
ten years ago, and which was to elm.
mate the levy upon property for state
purposes entirely"
Governor Hatfield cites the report
Of the Tax Commission In 1902 as
against the direct tax and declares
that such q method cannot be fair
and equitable when different valua.
tons are placed on property by the
assessors of the various counties, the
small property owner usually getting
the higher valuation In proportion to
the amount OF property he owns. The
executive takes the view that money
invested In home should not bear
the same rate Of burden as the money
invested In an enterprise that re.
qu!res large expenditure OF public
money on It's account" Real estate,
he says, pays an unequal proportion
OF taxes as compared with personal
and Intangible property, because it
cannot be hidden. The small home,
he points out, Is assessed at It's full
value because the tax ticket will not
be large, but the mansions worth
thousands are assessed at a lower
proportion, the same being true OF
the personal property OF the small
property owner. All those things, he
says. condemn the ad yalorem system,
and every cent added to a levy for
state purposes, based upon such as.
easements, Is a compromising OF injus.
tlce and inequality among taxpayers"
The Governor declares inequality
for the classification of property for
taxation, declaring that it, as we'll as
the abolishing OF the direct state tax,
are Republican promises.
Governor Hatfield opposes the pro.
posed increase in corporation charter
tax, fearing It would be detrimental
rather than increase revenue. He
takes the view that the workmen's
compensation fund should bear the
expense of its own administration and
that q license fee on coal mining com.
panies, based either on the tonnage or
the capital stock, should be levied to
pay the cost OF operating the mining
department, and large part OF the
maintainence of the miners hospitals.
"a general tax on incomes" says
the Governor, either with or without
a minimum exemption on all parties
may appeal to you as embodying prln.
ciples that are fair and equitable. A
tax on royalties for the privilege Of
mining coal to be paid by the lessor
would bring a considerable amount Of
revenue to the state. 1t is estimated
that at least one.half of all the coal
produced in the state is mined upon
a royalty basis, and tax OF one.half
OF one per cent would bring approx.
mately 100000 OF revenue. Hereto.
fore this class of property owners has
escaped taxation and has compelled
the lessee to pay all the taxes"
II sufficient revenues are provided
Governor Hatfield favors restoring the
items in the appropriation bill which
he vetoed, because there was no rev.
entie available.