The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-24

- ~ Att ~ l1A w.
more taxes than they are now paying,
on the needs Of the particular counties
jutify, but the increase, In assessment
Is made In cases where the assessment
is too low. The new assessment also Is
made 10 equalize assessment throughout
the state. THE burden of the average
taxpayer" he says, will not be per-
eeptibly increased
Lower Tax Rate
Many property owners OF shelby coun-
~ believe that the big assessment will
mean increased taxation for them,
However, the county court does not fix
| the tax rate zach year for the purpose
Of increasing taxes, but the rate Is
based entirely upon the needs OF the
county and its various departments. To
arrive at the county's needs for the
year, each department submits a tenta-
tive budget, the figures being COM
pared with those OF the proceeding
| year. The tax rate committee consid-
ers the budget and fixes the rate. OF
| course II the assessment Is doubled or
trebled, the rate naturally should be
reduced to n point where the aggregate
amount Of taxes collected for the year
viii be the same.
The state has nothing to do with fix
Ing the county tax rate, 1t only fixes
| the state tax.
II more taxes ara paid under the new
! hAAtEktltHl IL VIII nt llit ldulA VI NV
| county courts and not the new state
board Of equalization, Senator Louthan
says. !.
Regarding assessment Of railroad
| properties and public utility corpora
| tons, Sen. Louthan said;
Raise For Corporations.
ut has been suggested In some sec
| tons that railroad property and pub
lie utility corporations were already as
sessed at cash value and that their as
sessments would not be Increased by
the state board Of equalization. This
IL so patiently false that II needs no de-
nlaL The railroad and utilities them
selves do not insist that the assessment
against their property In Tennessee
ever approaches cash value, and this
property Is just as certain to be IN
creased to It's actual cash value as any
other class of property IN the state1'
while 1t IL impossible now to pre-
diet what the outcome Of the Shelby
county appraisal win be. Senator Lou
than reiterated his statement that when
all was completed, there would be more
people who pay less money for taxes
into the state and county treasury than
| there were people who would pay an in
crease,
Senator Louthan's equalizers have
been at work in Shelby county. the
last county In the state to be appraised
by the state board, and by Tuesday
OF this week they will have finished APP
praising the rural portions of this coun-
ty. Work will then be begun In the
city Of Memphis !,
The burden OF taxes on the small
home owner in Tennessee IL about to he
lifted and placed sduarely on the Shout :
GERS OF big business. where II should
have been carried years ago.
Realtors COOPERATE.
'The work OF the state board OF
equalization in ascertainlng the value
OF property In Shelby county, to be
used as a basis for the assessment &c
be made In 1920, Is progressing In tht
most satisfactory way" the senator
said, "The splendid progress which We
have been able to make is due primari'
lyto the enthusiastic cooperation which
we are receiving in this county at tbs
hands Of the people. City and county
officials have extended TO us the full
facilities Of their offices and have as
sisted us In every way possible. W.
are under many obligations TO the cuun
ty officials especially for the eourtesiei
shown us and the cooperation given u,
In our work, and we are also under last
Ing obligations to the real estate mel
of Memphis who have 80 unselfishl,
left their places OF business n de
voted dav after dav TO the work OF put
ting Il fair and honest valuation OF
each piece of property in the county.
I'VE haven't found a finer body o
men In Tennessee than the real estatt
men az Memphis. They have not ont.
rendered TO the state hoard q serytc,
which cannot be uVerestimated, but the.
have rendered a distinct service to tn
taxpayers Of this county In assisting u
In getting fair and honest valuations
II the real estate men had shown a dis
position to Oppose our work, IL nigh
have become necessary TO have apple,
the percentage method to the city O
Memphis, raising the various wards b
taking the transfers and assessments "A
a basis. This, Of course, would hav
resulted IN injustice being done in man.
instances.
, when the people OF Tennessee one
understand the shameful state Of af
fairs that existed In this state whe
Vi began this work. they will no longe
/. question the wisdom IND the necessit
! Of this legislation ! canno better i'm
: press upon you the indefenslhle an
! unjust condition OF the present assess
: ment IN Tennessee than BY citing Fpc
: cifle instances. IN one Fast Tennessee
; county the completed proof shows tn
. following astounding state Of affairs.
. '"rhe entire county was assessed |
! iatS AZ SI32, 1u0. The completed proc
: shows the property OF the county to h
worth t7.hs4, 337 This Is an Increas
in The county Of $685., Az. OF this Ia
crease S,03i. tAa represents the inereaH
on coal lands belonging 10 five corpora
lions. We found w this county $685.
acres Of coal land belonging 70 corpora
tons which was assessed ~ t2Ae, gGi
THE actual value Of this land, a. show
bf competent expert testimony,
t6,2T7tlt This valuation II not Il hHt
hazard guess Of inexperienced men. bt
WAS established by taking the depos
tlpus 81 mining experts. who have take
the examination before the state mir
ing department. who testified from ~
ginecring data based on their knoWledl
Of raal deposits on this land
These coal properties were aAaesHe
In 1918 al about -four per cent of the
value. while many nf the Hmaii HON,
IN the county we're asseHsed ~ from
70 20 per cent which means that a
small home owner IN that county
paving from 10 10 Is times ~ mtit
taxes on the ratea amount nf pfoperi
as these coal corporations ara PAWN
This II not only true 81 the small hon
owner IN that county, hut the AyeraI
farmer and the average home own,
throughout Tennessee Ia paying from =
to eight times as much taxas on II
same amount Of property % these co
setpnfatlohs are payiuR The rrDrari
~neiunklnR 10 these corporations Is Wort
more than the entire aseesamsut sentn
thar county IN which II 81 located con
htned with the - assessment against Hcnt
inlc"t linton and HheH.
1t ii worth moro than The entire al
tSessinent against Hlpdsoe, Garter. Grail
- and Sequatehls