The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-08-29
LOCAL BOARD PLAYS SAFE
Hearing Complaints As In
Ye OIden Days Of Harmon
And Cox When An Honest
System Of Taxation Pre-
vailed

Tremendous efforts are being made
by Governor Willis, through his state
tax commission, to stay the constant
ly rising storm OF indignation, which
is sweeping the state, over the high
handed practices of the Franklin coun-
ty board of revision which, according
to James Boyle, resigned member. act
ed merely in accordance with the Par
rett-Whittemore law, the administra-
tion tax measure, in making arbitrary
increases on taxation returns.
Ayers P. Velvet, writer for the Re-
publican, is very much in furry over
this well-directed slap at his pet taxa
tion measure uponlwhich he has based
so much of his political drivel, since
an honest system Of taxation departed
with the exodus Of Former Governor
James NJ. Cox.
The following letter was received
Saturday by the board of revision of
Knox county from the state tax COM
mission:
"The tax commission is not inform
ed as to whether or not like situa-
ton exists in your county, but if it
does, you are hereby directed to fur
nish this commission at once with the
names of all taxpayers whose returns
were increased by you without suf-
ficient evidence or without said tax
payer first having been afforded an
opportunity to be heard"
1t is not likely that any trouble will
be experienced with the board of re-
vision of this county for the one rea-
son that this body, in its sittings, fol-
lowed out the old custom-that which
obtained under Cox and Harmon-of
hearing personally the complaints of
taxpayers whose returns are increased.
The Knox county board of revision
was in session many days and the min
utes of it's transactions, on record at
the auditors office, show that numer-
GUS people appeared before it.
But the Parrett-Whittemore law,
Governor Willis own administration
measure and the standby Of A(yers)
p. Velvet, had the following interpre-
tation placed upon it by the state tax
commission which. on Aug. 8, sent out
this instruction to boards Of revision:
"The state commission realizes that
as rule it has been quite impractic-
able for boards of revision at the June
session to cite taxpayers before them;
but it should be remembered that
there is no requirement under the law
that this should be done
"The theory of the law (the Parrett-
Whittemore law is-and it has been
always so = that owners of personal
property should go to the auditors Of
fee to examine the tax lists and not
depend upon individual notification of
increases, the only notice required un-
der the law being the newspaper publi-
cation of the completion of the tax
list"
Some of the feats performed by the
Franklin county board of revision are
remarkable.
c. G. Philbrick of Columbus. ap-
pointed on the state board of aGmin-
istration by Governor Willis as a rep
resentative of the socalled Glue or
True Democracy, and who gets $4,000
salary from the state for going to the
office of the board when 1t is conven-
lent for him to do so, which is not as
frequent as 1t might be, was not raised
a penny by the board.
James Boyle, who has just resigned
as a member of the state tax commits
sion, was also passed by when the
board was handing out its tax raises
with such lavish hand.
Newt. M. Miller, the governors clos
est friend and political adviser, like
wise has no room to kick against the
board. There we're no additions made
to his return.
Forest F. Upton, secretary to Gov
ernor Willis, who put in his household