The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-08
cox HARMON KIND
OF FAIRNESS USED
One Elective Assessor Had
Valuation $1,000
Too High


tions were taken away from the tax
payers Of Knox county by methods
| little less high-handed than those
used by highway robber, what
would the voters think?
Such an opportunity was presented
Willis P. Bebout, Democrat, Charles
B. Jackson, Democrat, and Harry NJ.
Patterson, Republican, members of
the county board of revision who on
Wednesday finished their sessions as
board of complaints, sessions which
resulted in reductions of taxable val
uations between $4,000 and $25,OOO.
Definite instructions were sent out
| to all county boards of revision in
the state of Ohio, instruction which
interpreted the Parrett-Whittemore
law, Governor Willis great taxation
| measure, as rendering unnecessary
the hearing of any complaints of tax
payers.
Franklin county, Columbiana coun.
ty and others had nice little scandals
over the acts of their boards of re.
vision in merely following out the in
structions of the state tax commits.
| sion, Governor Willis own body, and
not listening, as simple honesty and
fairness would demand, to the pro-
tests of taxpayers who were returned
| too highly by Governor Willis elect
| i've assessors.
But the Knox county board, in
whose proceedings Auditor Walter
| M. Riley, Democrat, also participated,
chose to ignore the outrageous in
| structions of the state tax commits
sion, based upon the Parrett-Whitte-
more law, and heard complaints as in
| the days of Governor James M. Cox
and Governor Judson Harmon when
more honest and fairer system OBJ
| tanned.
The result is merely this-taxpay-
ers of Knox county will be forced to
disgorge on valuations $4,000 less
than would have been the case had
the orders of Willis state tax COM
mission been obeyed.
In direct contradiction to the state.
ment of the Republican newspaper of
Knox county that complaints were
few and reductions were only slight
is the completed work of the board
Of revision.
The full figures of the reductions
made are not available as yet, but a
| fragrant example is noticed in the
valuation placed upon a certain busi-
ness block in the city of Mt. Vernon.
The board of revision Topped off
$4,000 in lump here Suppose this
taxpayer had been assessed on the
valuation indicated by the Willis
elective assessor?
The Willis administration, vaunted
to be one of economy, has proved to
be anything but this. The condition
| of the treasury several weeks ago
when the low ebb of years was reach
ed and the revenues from corporation
taxes were anxiously awaited in or
| der to avoid something a little short
of bankruptcy furnishes one good
reason why instructions were sent
out by the Willis tax commission. not
to hear complaints.
Elective assessors and the Willis
taxing machinery have proved any.
thing but pleasing to many people
The Parrett-Whittemore measure is
no regarded by students of economics
as anything more than a primitive
system compared to the Warnes law
The lack of scientific construction in
Willis measure is palpable at every
turn.
The choicest treasure of Governor
Willis has been his pet taxation mea
sure. The polls in November will
form registering place where the
voters may pass Judgment on Willis
| judgment. The indications are thai
the Good Young Governor will not be
sustained,