The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-24
Unless Laws Require officials
to Produce Greater Results
There May Be Deficit
PROSPECTS NOT BRIGHT
FOR SOME INSTITUTIONS
Legislators Favor Increases tol
Schools and Pension Fund
But Seek information Before
Taking Action

Reference has been made on the
felt the coming year in the State fl
nances because of the change in the
taxing sytem OF the State.
This was done when the proposition
to increase the Confederate pension
fund to $500. 600 annually was under
discussion. The increase was favored
by all of the legislators, but tie were
unwilling to commit themselves to Its
support till full and complete informa-
tion of the financial condition of the
| State treasury could be disclosed and
until after the general appropriation
bill was made up.
For this reason the chances for an
increase in the amounts allowed TO
elerlosynary institutions and to all
State dependencies Is believed to be
impossible. This is reflected in the
proposition of Delegate Norris to
limit the appropriation bill for 1916
and 1917 to that for the preceding two
years. Discussing the subject OF tax
alton last night well-known man
said:
This subject of taxation is one of
the most vextatious that confronts law
makers in the national. the State or
the city legislatures. 1t Is an ever
recurring proposition with the vast
majority of the people willing to rid
themselves of the burden by putting it
on others.
Not Up to Expectations
The segregation sytem In Virginia
has not PANIED out as well al its
friends had hoped. The system itself
is all right. but the hope and belief
that the asceriainment of values
would increase the amount of reve-
nue. seems to have fallen to the
ground. The report of Auditor Moore
will disclose the tax returns still are
FAR too low-that persons who have
made returns have failed to give q
fair cash market value Of their be-
iongings. In other instances II is not
disputed that property that should be
returned for taxation has been omitted
| with the same regularity that obtained
under the old system. Notwithstanding
that in some instancsr the rate has
been materially lowered.
IL the General Assembly can devise
some scheme whereby persons viii be
made 10 make return as required by
law the segregation scheme or any
other for taxation will be solved The
rate has little or nothing to do with
he matter. The placing of the real
trouble can be had to the persons who
have property and who fall to make
return. as they make oath th-t thev
have done. This is borne out by the
work OF some OF the examiners of
record. where these officers have paid
regard to their oath and have striven
TO perform their duty with fidelity
Sporadic instances of the work OF
these officers shows that others have
paid no more attention to their duties
than II they had never been appointed.
Problems Before General Assembly.
The enactment of the law to COM
Ipel these officers to do their duty
would result in adding some hundreds
of thousands OF dollars to the treasury
that Is due and has been due for
years. In Richmond the practice OF
failing TO make returns is no eNce1-
ton. Thu same thing exists In other
counties and cities. and .nat they have
not been reported Is TO be found In
the failure of the officers 20 discharge
their duty"
When the report of the State Tax
Commission was made II was declared
that not moro than ten per cent OF
certain properties were returned for
| taxation, and the returns made for
the year 1918 show that comparatively
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