The daily times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1902-1936, 1919-07-14
GOVERNOR WRITES
AVERAGE CITIZEN
Tells Him that Equitable Tax
Assessment IS the
Only Just
WAY OF TAXATION
NJ doar Mr., Average Citizen:,

NV dear Mr.. Average OiIiA
An intimate acquaintance with
vou. extending over a number OF
wears, leads me to write you TINS
intensely personal letter l kno"
that you love truth, that you desplse
injustice, that you are ROBUST
of the square deal. Inc
possession by you of the cardinal VIZ
tues- makes North Carolina truly
great state.
The most vital power of the State
is the power to taxes and you pe-
lieve tmath this vital power should
he exercised with a full knowledge
of the truth there will flow perfect
equality in taxation
For the first time in the history
of. the State, you Mr.. Average Cltl-
zen, have it in your power to wrlte
the full truth and perfect equality
in the tax books of the state. You
have never been called upon to do
this before; indeed, you have never
been permitted to do this before But
now the. General Assembly has enae-
ted a law that places the matter en-
Itirely in your hands. The. new tax
law is written on correct principles.
The. machinery for its enforcement
is adequate and appropriate. The
law is so written that it will be easy
for the citizen to do right and
hard for him to do wrong. But on
you, Mr.. Average citizen rests the
responsibility of determining whet-
her or not. the. wise and just pur-
pose of the law shall be carried out
| Now, Mr.. Average Citizen, you
will receive QUESTIONABLE ane
will be called upon to swear before
God and to all your fellow-citizens
what is the fair market value o.
your property. When you come tt
take this solemn oath it will be help
F, full to you to put your own con
science this question: eff die
not own this property, but wante,
to buy it, what would 1 be justified
in paying for it?" and, again: '.I
II wanted to sell this property. NOT a
a forced sale. but in the way and ol
the terms that property of thi
class is generally sold in this com
munity, what do. 1 really believe
icould get for it, The answer o
these questions will point with reas
enable accuracy. to the fair marke
value of your property. This fai
market value you must write dow
in-yeur questionnaire, else you wi
cease to be. Mr.. Average Citizen an
become Mr.. Undesirable Citizen.
Il When you Mr.. Average Citizen te
the truth about your property,
will do no good for your neighbor
Undesirable Citizen to tell Ii
about his property, because y whe
:, the. books show truly what tt
property of Mr.. Average Citizen
. worth, this evidence will 1clearl
and conclusive1y show what tt
, property of Mr.. Undesirable Citize
, is worth. The local and distri
assessors, when they come to-. f
the value of property. viii be go
: erned by the sworn testimony of M
I Average Citizen.
And when you Mr.. average Gil
zen tell the unvarnished truth abo
your property. that truth will Wi
out every discrimination and eve
: inequality in taxation in Nor
e Carolina. True values are alwa
: equal values, but the greatest expe
G cannot equarize a series of falls
e hoods ,.4zs.s.
d When all the property in the Sta
t shall be placed on the. books at
W fair market value, many benef
II will acrue to- you. Mr.. Average CT
zen. e;ss.,,,
1.-You will have the great sat
9. faction of knowing that the recc
re written by an the people Of /
re State is a true record ana not a lii
,r ON the commonwealth. This kno
Continued on page six)