The Monroe journal., 1920-02-06
No TAN INCREASE ADyO-
GATED BY GOV. BICkETT

Tie Proposes 10 submit to Legislature
Recommendation That Authorized
Ten Per Gent Increase Not BE
Taken Advantage Of.
To the Editor of The Journal
After hearing the reports made by
the district supervisors in charge OF
the reyaluation act. and after a full
conference with the state budget COM
mission. the state tax commission.
and the state treasurer. find that
will be justified in giving TO the
people OF the state the following in
formation:
propose to submit 10 the special
session of the general assembly,
which is expected TO meet in July.
the following recommendations:
/. That the state take no adyan-
tage of that part of the reyaluatlon
act which authorized a ten per cent
increase of revenues for the year
1920, but that the general assembly
fix rate for 1920 that will yield for
all state purposes exactly the same
amount of revenue from real and
personal property as was collected
in the year 1919. There may be one
exception to this recommendation and
that is that il may be necessary TO
increase the funds provided by the
state for public schools TO the ex-
tent of five per cent, certainly not
more than this. This increase VIII
be only half the amount contemplated
BY the general assembly Of 1919 for
this specific purpose.
Ii will thus be seen, in he light
of this recommendation. that the re-
valuation act becomes one OF cquall-
zation, paIe and simple. ami with The
vast quantities of properly now going
on the tax books that was not taxed
at all heretofore, both of lands and
Of intangible personal property, IL Is
certain that many thousands NJ tax
PAYERS will actually pay less taxes in
/ 1920, than they paid in 1919.
n .. Twill also recommend that there
be inserted in the reyaluation act a
clause providing that in any year al
any time before the taxes are actually
levied BY the county authorities. any
property owner may ask for a re-
assessment of his property upon ming
an affidavit supported by two dlsin'
terested freeholders that his propert!
Is on the tax books at a sum greater
than its market value.
3. will also recomiaend 10 th'
special session of the general assem-
bly that there be embodict in th'
constitutional amendments now penc
ing and TO be voted on III November
a provision greatly reducing nc pres,
ent constitutional limitation oi % -
cents on the one hundred dollars
worth of property. II was the nur
nose of the finance committee of th'
house and senate TO revise this nm
itation downwards. II is now apiar
ent that the revised valuation Wi
be large enough to permit a substah
tial reduction of this Limitation, an'
will leave reasonable marSlh 10
the necessities of our future Gcvclop
ment. Just what figure Will he
proper limitation cannot be deter
mined until the total values unde
the new assessment are aseertalheu
Three facts in regard TO the re
valuation act are now outstanding
and no longer the subject OF con
. troversy: d,
/ |. The one purpose of the act !
TO vine ont the inequalities OF tn
I existing system. 81,
. Under the act this tax rate VII
be so low that no class of propert
will be outlawed and driven from IN
state.
3. The extraordinary low rate I'M
der the revaluation act viii uncoVe
millions of dollars in the state ina
i've never been on the tax books q
IIau. and will draw into the state MI
lions of capital from the ends oil tn
earth. -
r. w. PICKETT, Governor
Executive office. Raleigh. January SV
It is not the quantity OF the meal
hut the cheerfulness of the guest
which makes the feast.-Lord Clai
apinn