Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-25
G. LEE MOORE.
Auditor Of Public Accounts Of Virginia.

Auditor Of Public :!
II such intangible property. income
or money had been listed by the !ndi-
vidual person. hrm or corporation.
ANSWERS UNDER OATH
MUST NOT BE DISCLOSED
The local board of review shall have
authority TO summon taxpayers or their
agents. or any other person having
Information on the subject before them
and require them to answer under oath
all questions touching the ownership
or intangible property, income or
money, held by such person, firm or
corporation and the valuation Of said
property. and upon the request OF the
examiner of records. the said local
hoard OF review, or It's chairman. shall
summon any such taxpayer before il
to answer on oath such question as
may be Dropounded by the said boa I'd
or examiner of records; and should the
person firm or corporation agents or
witness. refuse TO urnish the infor-
nation requested, such person, firm,
corporation. agents Witnesses shall
be liable 10 fine Of not less than
ten and not more than one hundr ed
dollars. TO be recovered as other fines
due the Commonwealth, and each days
refusal or failure TO furnish such In
formation shall constitute separae
offense.
tho nerson. firm. corporation. agents or
witnesses. shall not be disclosed unless
called for by a court OF record. or by
SAID State advisory board, or any local
board of review.
If any person. Arm, corporal ton. or
agent may be aggrieved by such assess
msnt or valuation. the same shall be
corrected under the provisions of sec
tions 661 and SOS of the Code OF Nir-
ginia, as amended. provided full dis
closures have been made and il is APP
parent that the erroneous assessment
was not caused by the failure or re-
fusal OF the applicant or their agents
TO furnish information when requested,
TO the local boards of review, as re-
Quired by this act.
The same investigation and e1amina-
ton is required of the returns Of pur-
chases by merchants to determine the
proper state license tax to be paid.
PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO
RETURN INTANGIBLE PROPERTY
The State has also placed penalties on
taxpayers who fail to report for taxa
ton intangible personal property. The
law is as follows:
IF any person, arm or corporation
OF taxes. fall or refuse TO make out
and deliver under oath such list and
statement as herein provided for Of any
such bonds notes or other evidences OF
debt, then the omitted evidences OF debt
shall not be recoverable by action at
law or suit In equity in any Of the
courts OF this Commonwealth or by any
legal process. or by sale under deed of
trust. or otherwise, until they shall
have been reported for assessment. and
tho taxes paid thereon for the years
that they should have been paid, with
an addition OF SO per centum Of the
amount OF said unpaid taxes: and the
o liSf nd at
ment 10 the said commissioner shall
be taken as prima facie evidence Of the
intention to so evade payment of taxes
Eut where in any action at law or
suit in equity ii Is ascertained that
there arc unpaid taxes and penalties on
the evidence OF debt sought to he en-
forced, and the suitor makes affida x
that he is unable to pay these taxes
and penalty. but is willing for the Same
10 be paid out of the first recovery on
the evidence of debt, the court shall
have authority to enter as a mart OF
any Judgment or decretaI order in said
proceedings that the amount OF taxes
and penalties due and owing shall be
paid to the proper officer out OF the
FIRST collection on said judgment or
decree.
In the event any taxpayer shall fail.
without just cause shown. to return for
taxation any intangible personal prop
erty under the provisions OF this sched-
ule within the time prescribed by law,
and 1t is asoertained thereafter that any
such property has not been returned for
taxation, II shall be assessed when dis
covered, and taxed at the full rate OF
taxation provided for real estate in this
| State. which shall include the State
rate and the local rates and levies OF
the county. district town or city where
. in the owner or taxpayer has his legal
residence.
BELIEVES EFFICIENT WORK
WILL REDUCE TAX RATE
Whilst the State has assumed the re-
sponsibility of finding and assessing in
tangible personal property. relying upon
that property to produce her a consider
| able amount of the revenue sho will
need. she has placed upon the locali-
ties the responsibility of assessing real
estate and tangible personal property,
because upon the assessment of those
properties the localities must depend
Largely for their revenue. and to the ex-
tent the local authorities meet the re-
sponsibility put upon them by business
administration and compliance with the
laws localities will prosper and ultl-
mately be benefited by reduction in
taxation. am Of the opinion that eff
cient action both by the State and local
authorities will result ultimately, at
no remote date, in bringing about the