Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-21

The Jeffersonville Water, Light and
Power Company is assessed for taxation
by the state tax board at $4,000.
The Jeffersonville Water, Light and
Power Company is valued for rate max
ing purposes, by it's indirectors in a
report to the public service commission,
at $274, ,662.
The Jeffersonv1lle Water, Light and
Power Company has among its directors,
according to its report to the commits
sioners, J. P. Goodrich and ]. 7. Moor
man.
James P. Goodrich is the governor Of
Indiana, who forced the tax law through
the republican legislature and thereby
conferred jurisdiction over the assess
ment Of this company on a board of tax
commissioners. which he later appointed.
ALSO INTERESTED
IN GARBAGE PLANT.
r.. T. Moorman is the same J. T.
Norman who appeared before the board
Of review of Marion county in behalf Of
the Indianapolis Reduction Company and
swore that its property consisted only
Of a garbage plant, which was not worth
the cost Of junking. The indianapolis
Reduction Company is the company
which sold this same plant to the sani
tary district of Indianapolis for $175,-
600 Subsequently this company was
dissolved, and it was learned that both
j. P. Goodrich and J. T. Moorman were
stockholders in 1t, and profted by the
sale.
The difference between the valuation
ssof the Jeffersonville company for taxing
purposes and the valuation it attempts
to establish for rate making purposes
is $1o4, ,662.
The tax rate for the city OF Jefferson
vile, on file in the office of the state tax
board, is 1896 for each 500 Of value.
On this basis the company of which
Goodrich is a director will save $2,7S4
in taxes this year.
1t has often been pointed out and never
disputed that whenever an individual
taxpayer is assessed at a lower rate than
his neighbor, then that neighbor must
pay an increased and unjust amount of
taxes, for he must pay not only the taxes
which are justly taxed to him, but also
a part of the taxes which his neighbor
escaped.
HOW LAW HITS
MARION COUNTY.
In Marion county it has been shown
both to the satisfaction of the state
board Of tax commissioners and to the
courts that property is taxed to its true
cash value and in some cases the as
Z. value. This is not the case, however,
with utilities in which Jim Goodrich is
Interested The Jeffersonville company's
sPcase does not differ from that of the
Washington Water, Light and Power
Company. Goodrich is interested in both
of them. The state tax board fixes their
assessment for taxation purposes at
approximately half what their true valu-
alton is fixed at for rate-making pur
poses. The connection of the governor
with each is plain.
But the iniquity Of the assessments
is no greater than in other cases that
have come to light before and since
Chairman Ed Wasmuth of the republican
state committee declared that the dis
satisfaction wit hthe tax law was due
to the manner in which It was admin
istered rather than to the law itself.
NEWS CASE
ITNE EXAMPLE.
One has only to go as far as the case
of the Indianapolis News to see now for
tunate are those taxpayers who are in
n position to receive and grant favors
The News was appraised blythe apprais-
ers of the probate court of Marion
county at $2000000. It is appraised
for taxation at approximately s297, 600
In the case of the News the appraise
ment was made by local taxing officials.
1t was subject to review by the state
board, but the state board did not re-
view It.
In the cases Of the utilities with which
Jim Goodrich is connected the state
board of taxation had original turisdic
tlon and fixed the valuations.
The foregoing provisions Of the con-
stitution do not appear to have been
considered in the fixing of any of the
valuations here enumerated.