Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1917-10-05
Gov. BILBO DELIVERS MESSAGE
TO SOLONS IN JOINT SESSION
Members of Legislature Hear Message of Governor Telling
of Conditions and Duties Necessary
Il to Change Them
EXPLAINS THE REQUIREMENTS OF STATE SCHOOLS

1 nance OF the states institutions ana all
public interests which the commonwealth
| rs under obligations to support, have not
kept pace with these demands.
This condition has greatly concerned
many OF our thoughtful people for q num-
| Der Of years. Much has been said and
written about the proper remedies, but
Notwithstanding the fact that conditions
nave grown from bad to worse, nothing
had been done to save the state from this
embarrassing situation and eventual
bankruptcy until this legislature blazed
the way ny the passage OF the law that
created the state tax commission, giving
1t powers of general supervision over the
valuations and equaiizatons OF the as
sessments throughout the entire state.
Under the old system and through the
weakness of it. the boards of supervisors
of the eighty-one counties of the state
had gradually drifted into a custom, or
rather had reached a common under
standing that the property in their
spective counties would be assessed for
just enough to provide for the countys
expenses. So strong was this sentiment
prevailing recently until the entire
sessment of the state dropped twenty
millions in one year.
So common was the understanding that
the many boards of supervisors publicly
announced that it was their policy to re-
duce the assessment and raise the county
levy so as to rob the commonwealth of
its just and proportionate part of the
revenues which were more and more
needed to take care of n rapidly growing
state with ever increasing burdens.
You gentlemen, recognizing that this
policy was impafring the states credit,
tending to certain bankruptcy of the
commonwealth, dared to face all oppos-
tion and the criticisms Of the nrofessi6hal
tax dodgers and provided O. law that II
perfected and put in full 'orce will even
tually solve this greatest Of all problems
that has perplexed the people Of every
government under the sun.
la w nm a
expected there would be opposition to its
enforcement from those people and Sec
tions that We're escaping their just and
proportionate share Of the states bur-
dens. but this most equitable and far
reaching piece of legislation has stood the
s.orms of opposition, run the gauntlet of
the supreme court and has already work.
ed wonders in eaualizing the tax burdens
bringing from hiding the hidden millions
und going far tow9frtl adj ssting the finan-.
cial affairs of our state.
1t is very gratifying, 1 am sure, to you
to know that as the Just and equitable
provisions of this law are more and bet
ter understood by the people, 1t grows in
favor with them, for the great majority
of the people have no patience with the
wilful tax dodger. or the man or corpora
tion that Is unwilling to pay taxes in just
protection and blessings
Nearly Doubles Assessment.
Notwithstanding many defects in the
law alreaoy passed and the great need
through the cooperation of an honest
citizenship, the assessors and boards of
supervisors of the eighty-one counties IN
Mississippi, together with Mississippi's
splendid railroad commission, almost dou-
bled the states assessment and proph
esy that with your help and cooperation
in making this law stronger that the as
sessment of Mississippi will reach within
the next two or three years one and a
half million dollars.
The people have been assured by me
through the boards of supervisors and
through the tax commission that the
taxes of the people would not be in
creased for as the assessments increased
the levies would be reduced The great
est benefit derived from this law is the
equalization of assessments, or rather the
equitable distribution Of the tax burden.
No public official or group of public Off
cials desires to collect from the people
more tax money than il absolutely neces-
sary to properly conduct their public af-
fairs.
Now. since the assessment OF the state
In the sum total has almost been dou-
bled ii is necessary that the state levy of
six mills be reduced and that authority
be delegated to the SCHOOL districts and
other taxing units to reduce tneir levies,
for in many counties in the process OF
equalization, the county assessment has
been many times increased. and to let
the levies stand as originally provided
would mean the collection OF many times
more money than is needed to carry on
ties For the protection of the taxpayers
Insist and urge that 1t Is your duty to
authorize and direct these reductions
Before leaving this all impOTant sub
ject / want YOU to know that the railroad
commission has fixed tentative assess-
ment which shows an increase of about
forty million dollars on the public service
corporations In Mississippi and i want
to here and now congratulate the people
of Mississippi upon having such an eff
cient and patriotic commission.
In making this increase they have pre-
vented an injustice from being done TO
the other taxpayers OF the state. BY
this increase they have assisted the tax
commission in equalizing the burden on
all property alike. In urging you to re-
duce the state levy of six mills and other
levies, want to sound note Of warning.
There may be an effort on the part OF
some interests on the outside to defeat
this reduction and the argument will be
made that the state needs the money to
pay off the accumulated deficits OF other
years. This is a gooo argument, but
lis is not the time to take care OF all
these deficits by a direct tax on the peo-
pie this year. l do not charge that It IL
the motive of those who opposed a -duc-
ton of levies to encompass the repeal or
the tax commission law, but this will be
the effect II you gentlemen refuse to re-
duce the levies. !.
When taxpayers are forced to pay all
these accumulated burdens in one year
and their taxes thus being doubled IN
great many counties. there will be raised
a great cry and an insistent demand for
the immediate repeal of this law:
The world was not made In n 0ay. nor
can these great problems be solved In
moment. You are on the right track. Let
us make haste slowly and with wisdom
and patience. fairness. justice and equity
to lead the old ship OF state out OF the
troubled financial waters that have been
so long disturbed by policy OF short
sighted craftsmanship.
Once convincs the people CT Mississippi
that an honest and equitable assessment
does not necessarily mean high taxation
ana all our troubles will be over. Then
no mar will hesitate TO have all of his
property assessed al full value In fact.
the average citizen would be inclined to
be proud o fhis possessions and holdings
as shown bv his assessment and am sure