Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-22

The Union Heat, Light and Power
Company is assessed for taxation by
the state tax board Mt 100000
The directors of the company value
their holdings at $317107 in a report
made to the public service commission
under date Of Dec. 81, 1913.
Among the directors of this company
are ]. T. Moorman, e. S. Goodrich aAd
W W. Goodrich.
T. T. Moorman is the "close personal
and busiaess associate" Of James p.
Goodrich, governor of Indiana. e. ).
Goodrich and W w. Goodrich are broth
ers Of the governor
''Whos Who In America" lists tho
Union company as among those of which
Goodrich is a director Whether or not
he now owns stock in this company is
immaterial There is no denying that
he has in the past, and the family and
business connection with the directors
is sufficient to show the individual IN
terest in the affairs Of the company.
The assessment Of the Union Heat,
Light and Power Company was not
made by the state tax board without
due deHberatlon. AS in the case of the
Washington Water, Light and Power
Company, the original assessment was
changed by the tax board. Originally
the assessment of this company was
$40 600 But after mature deliberation
in accordance with their oath to as
sess the property at its true cash
value" the tax commissioners reased the
assessment $4,000
Today. the assessment for taxation
differs from the valuation placed on the
company by its owners, by the mere
trife OF S12T, ,107 or more than third
ONE OF FIGURES
MUST BE WRONG.
One or the other OF these figures rep
resents the value of the Union company.
II the tax board has placed true yalua-
tlon on 1t for taxation purposes, then
the public service commission has per
mitted it to place too high a valuation
on Itself for rate making purposes.
In either event the patrons Of the
company in winchester, the governors
home, and In Union City, are getting the
worst OF 1t. II the company is paying
too low a tax they must make up the
deficiency by paying what it shirks IN
taxes. II the valuation accepted by the
public service commission is too high,
then the patrons of this company are
paying rates for its products that arc
two high, for they viii return exorbitant
profits on the actual yalae -ef-~the Inv
vestment.
James T.. Goodrich, governor OF In
diana. appointed the tax board that fixed
this tax assessment. He appointed the
public service commission that accepted
its own valuation. He is the same
James P. Goodrich, who, in 1916 said
to the people of this state:
II want the power. You hold me re
sponslble."
Therefore. It Is hardly to be expected
that the people of Indiana, who are dis
satisfied with this and thousands OF other
discriminatory tax assessments in the
state will do other than hold James
F. Goodrich responsible.
THIRD INSTANCE
OF FAVORITIsM.
This is the third instance IN which
public utilities in which Goodrich is In
terested have been shown TO have been
favored in tax assessments. No attempt
has been made either by the members
Of the state tax board or by Mr. Good
rich to explain or deny the circumstances
in any Of the three cases. Summarized,
they are as follows:
Washington Water Light and Power
Company, assessed for taxation at $685.
$50, valued for rate making at S312, ,S14.
Jeffersonville Water, Light and Power
Company, assessed for taxation at S170,-
600, valued for rate making purposes at
1914 662.
Union Heat, Light and Power Company,
assessed for taxation at s19O,00O, valued
for rate making purposes at $317,107.
Here is property in which Goodrich is
interested acknowledged by one of Good
rich's centralized boards to be worth
1901 5S3, and appraised for taxation by
another Of Goodrich's centralized boards
at S525, $50.
The taxes on the difference of SS7S, ,723
represent the sum that other tax payers
will be compelled to contribute because
the Goodrich interests escaped a just
assessment.