South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-11-05
STATE TAX
BOARD HITS
BAD SNAG5
Reduce Marion County AS
Sessment in Effort to Win
Political Favor.
Copyright 1919. News-rimcs Blu

ALcPJFtknt 1919 NeN NIIt7 bh-
reau-J
TNDIANAPOLIS. nov. SIN its
desperate effort to head Off the in
creasing revolt I'm Marion county
against the G-oodrich-Hays political
machine tho state tax board has en-
tered into a program relative 20 Mar
ion county taxes that promises 20
discriminate against the taxpayers
or every other county OF the state
and create all the more disgust over
the manner I'm which the Goodrich
administration is administering the
tax law.
The tax board has created a spe-
ciaI commission to pass on the equa-
Titles i'm the assessment Of Marion
county. II has given the farmers of
Marion county who are up in arms
over their assessments special con-
sideration and promises that they
VIII be relieved from any inequalities
which may have resulted from the
work Of the tax board I'm this state.
LukcwarIn Reception.
And not another county in the
whole state has been received with
such consideration at the hands OF
the Goodrich appointees. The dele
cation from the Schoolmen's club
did not meet with any response
from the board. Delegations that
have come here from South Bend,
from Evansville. from Tcrre Haute,
in fact from a dozen cities Of Indi-
ana have been met with only luke
warm reception. But not so with the
Marion county delegates.
They marched down on the tax
board a few days after due notice
had been served on the Goodrich
crowd that II would not be able to
control Marion county through the
Mayor Jewett organization any long
er. IL vas headed by Emsley John
son. a well known political worker
in Marion county who was among
those who had served notice on Jew
EFT that because Of his pronounced
Goodrich friendliness he could no
longer lead the party in Marion
county.
Board Willis.
The tax board looked over the ar
ray of complainants. Tt listened 10
a few complaints and then Il wilted.
First. Il promised these complain
ants that 1t would appoint a SPECIAL
board TO hear them
Second. it promised them that it
would cause a r%evaluation of Marion
county property next year.
Third. IL pleaded with them not to
--- - ~ns-
year which it admitted were errone-
Gus. but to trust the special board to
take care OF them and 10 leave
things to the tax board which would
surely dN'em up for them in another
year.
But the tax board said nothing
about the rest of the state. Tt didn't
promise a special board TO hear com
plants from any other county. IL
didn't promise a r-evaluation i'm any
other county.
And when the conference was over
there was a little gathering outside
The state house where men who had
Just completed their complaints be-
fore the tax board took occasion To
congratulate themselves on their
kicking. They said they were sorry
for the farmers of the rest Of the
state. but they we're very glad hat
they had accomplished something
fo~ Marion county
Taxes Alike.
Analysis Of the complaints of Mar
ion county farmers reveals that all
the mistakes made i'm assessments
were not made in Marion county
alone. In fact the situation here
differs little from that in every coun-
u in the state.
Hogs are assessed here at about
twice the market value. Farm inn
Elements are assessed at more than
was paid for them several years ago.
Farm land that recently sold for
st25 an acre is valued for taxation
al 1915. one farm that sold for
SS3.0O was assessed for $4,000.
The burden Of the complaint OF
Marion county farmers was that the
assessors fixed the true value. of the
property and the state board in
creased IL from so to so Der cent
horizontally" The farmers asked
that the increased assessments Dee
reduced horizontally" and when
The tax board refused 60 make such
a reduction they were not satisfied.
To vas then that the tax board prom
ised special consideration to them.
As usual. the Marion county farm
crs. being on the grounds and active.
Eot the advantage over those of 9TH
or counties who cannot afford To take
the time TO appear personally be-
fore Jim Goodrich's tax board and
demand relief.