Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-05-18
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EXAMINERS CAN HOLD OFFICE
State Tax Boards viii Hold Confer
ences With Commissioners of


ences With Commissioners of
Revenue.
Richmond, May 10. Examiners
of record, whose terms were expected
to expire May 31st, viii hold office till
after June 18th. The last Legisla-
ture undertook to abolish the terms,
of office as of May 31st. but as the
bill carried no emergency clause it is
not effective till June 18th, ninety
days after the adjournment OF the
Legislature. This discovery was made
today.
Under the old law these officers
were named by the judges of the sew
eral circuit courts. The new law pro-
vides that these officers shall be
named by the State Tax Board. The
law also provided that the terms OF
all the examiners shall expire as Of
May 31st.
Due to the rush of business the
law contains no emergency clause,
hence the officers whose terms were
to Zave expired will not be affected
till ninety days after. the final adj
journment of the Legislature which
will be June 18th. Thus the old Off
GERS will have to hold over till the
new law is effective.
There is the very best of reason for
believing that the State Tax Board
will make many changes in the per-
sonnet of these examiners. 1t is a
notorious fact that, with possibly half
a dozen exceptions, these officers
have been conspicuous for what they
have not done in contrast with the
half dozen who have attended to
business, as provided by law and in
consonance with their oaths of Office.
That those who have attended to
business will be retained there is good
reason to predict, and in those cases
where nothing has been read from
the examiners they will find them
selves deprived of title of their Of
fee. And that is abvus all they will
lose, having failed to perform the
duty for which they were named ac-
cording to law.
The pay Of the examiners of record
is based on the amount of omitted
property they report after delving
into the records of the State. In every
district in the State these officers
could have reaped a harvest for them
selves and covered untold revenue
into the Golfers of the State, as was
done in Nelson, Williamsburg lin
htigation) ard in Richmond, and to
some extent in Few other isolated
cases.
Christopher B. Garnett, executive
assistant to the State Tax Board, was
asked regarding the plan he first sug-
gested looking to visiting each of the
circuits of the State and having a
Conference with the commissioners
Of the revenue and the examiners of
records. Mr.. Garnett has figured
that several months would be requir-
ed for this, and he has been devising
scheme that would produce the
same results and give him time for
lending aid in interpreting the laws.
Mr.. Garrett thinks the State Tax
Board will be able to have confer
ences at several points in the State,
say about a dozen. and thus have all
the officers affected by the new laws
meet the members of the State Tax
Board. The purpose is to give the Of
ficers the benefit of the advice of the
members of the State Tax Board for
the sole purpose of reaching some
conclusion that will resuylt in OBJ
tanning a uniformity in making as
sessments. That can be done, and it
is much-desired end.
1t will require time TO make these
engagements and to arrange for the
assembling of the officers. That they
will profit, that the State will bene-
fit. there is no question of doubt.
Mr.. Garnet prefers to have the
members of the board appear and talk
to the officers in the several districts.
When necessary he will take part in
the conferences. He believes that the
board will agree to this general idea,
the details of which vii have to DO
worked out and presented to the
board, and that body will have to
decide whether the plan is feasible.