The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-03-20
MASON COUNTY TAX SUPERvIS.
ORS REFUSE TO INCREASE AS.
SESSMENT In THIS COUN.
TY AS ORDERED BY
STATE TAX COM.
MISSlONERS.

The Mason County Tax Supervisors,
who have been in session at the
Court House for the past several days
adjourned this morning without max
ing the increase Of over four millions
OF dollars on town lots, lands and tan
gible personally as they were asked to
do by the State Tax Commission sew
eral weeks ago.
The members of the County Board
this afternoon said that they had per-
formed their duties as they saw them
in that they had placed what they con-
sidered fair valuation on all of the
property in all parts of the county for
taxation. They pointed out that prop
erty has increased in value in Mason
county considerably in the past sew
eral months and that they had made
increases In approximately 400 cases.
1t was their purpose to place what
they considered fair and just equal
izatioh on all Of the property in the
county and then make a horizontai
raise on all Of the property. in the
county to make up the increased as
sessment placed on Mason county by
the State Tax Commission but the
members Of the Mason County Board
of Tax Supervisors did not feel like
they could increase the valuation Of
the property in the county on their
own account They were willing, how
ever, to nlace the horizontal raise on
all property to bring the total asess-
ment of the county up to the state
commissions figures and so informed
the State Commission.
A letter was received by County
Judge H. P. Purnell yesterday from
Mr.. j. A. Scott, of Frankfort, chair
man of the State Tax Commission in
which he said that "the State Tax
Commission cannot approve Of hor-
izontal raise" 1t was the opinion of
the members of the Mason County
Board that a horizontal raise was the
only equitable and just way to obtain
the necessary four millions of dollars
asked by the state and they therefore
refused to take any action on the
states request whatsoever
1t was thought that horizontal
raise of about 20 per cent would be
necessary on all of the property of the
county but the State Tax Commission
through Chairman Scott says: "We
suggest to you that some of your tax
payers may need a 30 per cent raise
some 10 per cent. raise and some Is
or 20 per cent. and some Of them nc
raise at all"
Just what position the action Of the
County Board this morning puts
things in is not clearly known. 1t is
known, however, that several other
counties In the state have refused to
increase the assessment as suggested
by the State Tax Commission and the
matter has gone into the courts. The
action of the Kentucky Court OF APP
peals on these other cases will proba-
bly, determine what will be done in
the matter here.
The next step taken will probably
be that the State Tax Commission will
ask for mandamus to force the men,
bers of the local Tax Board to make
the increase asked.
Members of the County Board this
afternoon said that their action in the
matter was taken on their own best
judgment and clears their skirts Of
what should happen in the matter In
the future.
Before adjournment this morning
the County Supervisors turned over to
the Sheriff about 400 notices to be
served on those whose assessment has
been increased by them from that
which was given in to the County As
SCISSOR. The County Board will meet
again within few days to hear COM
nlaints by those who have been raised. |