The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-13

snsgnEnx plan vas shas provided. ana
A pixht SAP eangeusp ssisa - theseasi-
1 stitIyfrn Wf rsvT~TyV2. which per
raitte0 the General Assembly. sftsr =
period OF two years to seEregstc the
| several subjects OF taxation ana 70
Apply different rates on different
ciaEees of property.
The state was deriving t$,se0. zoe
1 of It's annual revenues from subjects
already segregated for state purposes.
80 that the real task OF the General
Assembly was to ind additional sub
/ scots euffcient to make up the re-
! mainder of the state budget 1t was
| reported by the Special Tax Commits
sion after careful Investigation. that
| only about one-tenth of the intanEi-
BILE f6perty was being assessed. IL
was Thought NY large majority of
/ the General Assembly that this condi-
ton arose largely from the divided
1 interest OF the State and the several
subdivisions thereof ss taxing powers
in The same subject. II was. therefore,
considered advisable.to segregate in
Tangible property to the State In orr
der that 81 might he the exclusive
business Of a single taxing power to
make available the portion of this
class OF property. which had hitherto
escaped taxation. II was thought that
the interest and efficiency of the
agencies of tho StatA would be greatly
stimulated by the necessity which was
placed. on the State for the collection
OF 8 revenue necessary to tfa exist
ence. II was also thought that the
STAFF could and would WELD mower
In this direction which the local OF
ficials of she several counties, towns
and cities had either failed, negce't-
ed or refused TO use
A Process Of Elimination.
Again the difficulty of securing fair
and equal assessments throughout the
State did not apply TO Intangible prop
erty. as TO other classes of property.
for the reason that II assesses itself
in most cases at It's own face value.
i The same principle applied as to roll
ing stock of transportation companies.
which was assessed by well estab-
| lished standards of value throughout
| the State. So that the process of
segregation was. in fact. q process OF
eiIa.iaation OF the question OF unequal
! assessments a. between the several
counties. towns, cities and sections OF
! The Stale.
T:is question of equality OF assess-
( mentA under this plan became practi-
| Cally a local one--a question which
| affactea the ,axpayers Of a great num-
/ her of xurall mite as between them-
selves leaving the- question of ths
standard assessnent az real estata ana
/ tangible property In Accomac mat
ter OF no concern TO the taxpayers
| of Lee. and vice versa. Under the
PLAZA as adopted, elimination OF the
was accommodated except as To the
tep.cert tax fo, schoai nurnoses.
which annIies 10 all real estate and
taneIh,s narsonal nronertv in ths
stare In other words ftye-seyeuths
/ nf ,hA Question ~ ineo,ality az as
sesxnerts vas e,iminated ina the very
/ herinntny with tbe mona ana expecta-
tInr fbas ,ha otber two-seyspths may
he s,,antuaIiv eli,n,r.,aa either nv
! ,sach,ng MAN 81 co,nnlete sewrera-
/ - - f., .ty,I t,,rth.r v,,trsu,xsTv the
! a1rs.av neCliyif,la tneauaIitieE which
( III .rtsa ha,wner the sertsnr. in
az s,na,natsa, ~ rna,svar state ta =
rnay continue 70 rest~.ov,, real- rstate
90 ,angshIs ,arsons, rrorerTv, III
/ uay,nr gora thus FAR the only re-
us ming m1esfien was as TO what rate
sho,,,a he annltas hv tha state 10 the
s,,tssc,s sagraystaa To hsr- u was
,,aa,,1sss. ,ha, tha oon, hinos state and
,nraJ rstas annlirahIa alike TO all
-. - 80 a -. ,..o,,aytxs constf.
1 .,,ssa h,,.a.,, ,,,,,ch baa,st.,. when
a1. nI, = ~ ~ ;n,a s,sibia rronsrty which
ap ...1,. .tu..'t ~, .tao. vei,,s ,har ar
cs,,.. -. s.Ss or nronersv w,,ch as real
astn,a go ,.ryibla Y,ersonal nran4rty =
~, -, ,.hich vas Commercially under.
s-sas...s. .,,n..sss,r ig.s III .+Ery,aef
hocams necessary. asa matter of Jus.
ttc.s ~ ilrnft thu rate ~ inta ngibis
nronart,. IN sprh ngIire az wo,ilt
rt,sa A.. :. -, aayaptage in rate CORE.
na,,s i,,g ga anna1 ~ the advantacs
~ asssssu,snt eniovad nv owners q,
~ ~. ,,iass.s ~ nTonartv
NJ No. Tar Iuoposed
Ac.aratre,,, tba rate on every elias.
-, trtangibie nropertv was sIbsran-
.io,i,, iowarad some of it TO one
ai,t,tb ara NJ tba great buIk of IT tc
T. ,s,ts. srs,,ss,tf az tsss cid rate. The
- tax IN ya smposad no new tax. "A,
|, Soma oeopIa seem to think, on intan.
,thi, pronartv. an the contrary. tbs
law innosinr tax on this class OF
rrnnertv 10 as old ms the Common.
aaatts itseIf The new tax law sim
y1v~, nrncsa tte rztn- of -taxntiorf tss
trtanrthIs .nroperty.
Ma serious direction was heard II
an~ cuarter !, the fairness and Justice
- ,asss raaucea rates. They gtvs
needed rsl,ef 10 estates In the handi
~ ,Vonrta and ffanciarIeS held for tn,
, henrd, If widowa and orphans. anc
.'s;~,, hs,rv accessible 10 taxing of
; acer. wara returned in rlll at fac,
ux-z a. haas n ratf