Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-16

RICHMOND TIMES
zeal estate and tangible personal prop
cry IL taxed regardless OF indebted
ness. They should all remember that "a
full disclosure OF intangible pron.r,v
Noiiid so increase tho available sources
~ feNonue of the state as 20 permit
me '"t" To be lowered on all classes
a. property. "a result which affords
@'"nhd upon which all taxpayers can
meet
The segregation act after proyidine
'h"S" reduced rates. did not rely soiciv
or! IN" induccIncnt which they offered
'or voluntary disclosure. but provided
machinery through which the state
hiIht accomplish the purpose or the
act. that OF discover, eud bringing irto
contribution tho unwilling holders OF
property which had hilbert" escaped
taxation.
IMMENSE SUMS AiREAD,
PUT TPON TAN HOOKS
Ire Justification FOR this machinery
may L." found in the fact that even
under tn" imperfect way III whici. cx-
aninerS ~ records and other assessing
"d'"ers performed their duty. handi-
sapoed as they were BY tn. ovcrhang-
lhS ln"nnC" OF imp,sition Of back taxes
%. an ind"i"r:ninatc period. and hy
oth"r circumstances which did not give
nv 'ilt''IS III some cases "a lAir trial.
'h"r" seems 10 hay heen added to the
TAX lists intangibl"s including bonds.
notes, money. etc amounting 10 abou:
SN".""".oco for the current year, as
ar"'nt thoS" listed for and belonging
:" tn" yasr previous thus bringing
nhu'r taxation the first yea new tax
hhie values, which have been In OK.
iStcnc' for Years and not heretofore
p;SeONcied. amounting to sum as
ncth as III. aggresat" assessment Of
an the ph%sica! property. excludii.t;
rolling stock. % all the railroads in
the state. This, in my opinion, is ONLY
the beginning Of what can be added
II tn" General Assembly will. SUE
P"s'nd in the recommendations OF the
stat" advisory board, establish
r"riod Tor the basement Of taxes
omitted prior I" the year 1915 In
this connection. II may be stated that
examiners Of records nave reported IN
certain communities omitted taxes for
previous years amounting 20 $4,000.
Large sums may be expected 10 arise
from SUCH sources In other commuri-
tics from tho application Of whatever
uniform rule is finally adopted ny the
General Assembly.
CANNOT FAKE THESE SUNS
AS CURRENT REVENUE
Whatever may be realized from this
iast-namcd source cannot bc taken into
consideration as current revenue. TO
80 so would be as unbusincssiike = ( tor
ar Individual TO treat princinsl a. IN
CONF" F.ach current years cXp.ns.s
should b" provided for hy is own
revenue.
". are now face TO fac. Nth tho
question as 10 whether or no; system
which shows these benencent long
souSht-for and much desired results as
81 beginning. shall be indois-d by this
General Assembly ami supported by an
fE0IriIf . - "a ION 81.
only making permanent th. advantages
already gained. but 20 an extension OF
the system 10 point o! com plctc Sag
r"gat!on between the Stat. and local.
ties IN the near future. ANA tn. gradual
further reduction Of rates ALREADY re-
duc"d under this system.
Where is the citizen who viii CAV
that The state has absolved herself
under tn" segregation plan from any OF
The obligations Ia the people hereto
fore resting upon her such as admins
'raiion of tho government In All OF its
branches ana departments. education
roads ana criminal expenses except in
!ni sdemaanor cases wher. is the To-
cal!ty. with tho exceptions have here
irhefore noted. which viii say that its
LAX rat" has not baen reduced h. seq
recation?
RATES HAVE BEEN
tHSTANTI\LL UE:Dl CED
II cannot hc denied tina, the rates on
nearly all classes Of property have
necn substantially reduced everywhere
IN certain cities cla lining as undue
burden growing ont of 4 relatively high
assessment Of It's real estate I must
he pointed out that this hiua assess
ment. II necessary Al all. was not made
SO for n" benefit OF the state but sor
the cities OWN purposes, and that onl,
cent III ever" - or 10 cents collected
from their citizens from real estate
ever reaches TIE state Treasury and
goes back 10 the schools. and il the
common and sole State tax upon all the
people allie for school purposes.
Tie Joint Committee on Tax Revi-
sion reported that the avera-r real
estate assessment, i'm cities was % ner
cent or true value, and in the counties
.23 per cont OF Irue vaiuc and th" aver
age personal propert% assessment in
cities >" per cent. and III tn" counties.
a. per cent That this difference in
percentage works degree o: nius-
tee 10 some cities must be admitted.
and there is every reason that IL should
lee removed, and :: IS believed that I.
assessment Of 1915. This inequality
and consequent hardship Is only the
small remnant Of the inequality that
visited from the same source under
'hs old law. ana here suggest that
This remnant % Inequality can b.. snail
" removed by complete segregation.
COMPLAINT COMES FRoM
DISCOVERED TAX DODGERS
Who. then, is complaining Of the
results Of segregation" feel that il
is not TOO much 20 say that the great
nul: OF the complaint comes from the
owners Of i class of property Of which
s.5.GQ0.00U has been discovered. as
scssed and taxed this year FOR thc first
time in its existence: taxed. not at the
yXo,bitaut rates provided under the
old System. but under the rca sonable
rates provided ny the segregation sys-
TEN.
surely We will not allow ourselves