The review., 1920-02-12
{ REST PLAN YET GIVEN
REVALUAT1oN ACT MAKES
A GOOD START.

a GOOD START.
Saving Property Owner As Per
Cent. On Taxes He Otherwise Would
Have aid.-Governor Explains Il.
Raleigh, Feb. 8.-.'The reyeluation
act makes q good start by saving
every property owner 45 per cent on
taxes he otherwise would have paid
during the years 1919 and 1920" said
Governor Beckett today in statement
he issued about the act and it's effects.
Every one. who studies the reval-
I1ation act should at the outset, give
the act credit for this saving of 40,
per cent, the governor continued, ex-
fplaining
Under the old law there was re-
assessment every four years. and If
the general assembly of 1919 had done
Nothing with respect to valuation the
reassessment would have been made
1918, and the taxes for 1919 and
1870 would have been paid on this re-
assessment. This law has been in
force for 90 years, and every four
years there has been substantial in
crease in values. The average IN
seEease has been 26 IA per cent There
siE not man in the state outside of
an Institution for the insane or the
feebleminded who does not know that
the actual increase in property values
during the last four years has been
greater than in any four year period
since the reassessment law has been
nm ~ M fol
deny that If the old law had been al
lowed to stand without the dotting of
an or the crossing of a t, the values
IN 1919 would have been increased as
much as they have in any four year
period. Just knock off the Ia per
cent and say that property values
would have been increased 25 per cent.
Then in 1919, the property owners
would have paid % per cent more
taxes on the same property than they
paid in 1918. Under the revaluation
act they did not pay cent more. A
similar amount would have to be paid
in 1890, but under my recommendation
to the general assembly this % per
cent Increase in 1920 will be reduced
to 5 per cent, tbs for pubic schools.
This makesBa net saving to- property
owners III 1920 of 20 per cent, and
this added to the Is per cent saved
in 1919, makes a total saving to the
property owners on account of the re-
valuation act of IS per cent.
"Pure mathematics requires the
worst enemy of the revaluaton act to
enter this credit of 45 per cent as the
first item in every calculation made
in regard to the act !
"Of course, the taxes in 1919, are |
higher than in 1918, but this is not
because of but in spite Of the revalua-
ton act The increased taxes for the !
year 1919, are due to two things.
81. The public school term was by
a practically unanimous vote of the
people of North Carolina increased
from four to six months. Of course,
when the people voted for this in
crease of SO per cent in the length of
The school term they understood that
and no fair-minded man can complain
On account of this increase in his
taxes. He voted on it himself.
's2. The general assembly of 1919
increased the salaries of teachers in
the public schools so per cent. This
was done because the general assem-
bly, reached the conclusion that it was
lot only unwise, but positively inde-
cent to starve the young women Of
The state who were devoting their lives
to teach our children. Before this in
crease the average teacher in the
public schools got $45 a month for
four months, her years work
netting her $3.50. Under the constitu-
lion the term was heightened to six
months and the legislature increased
her salary to $3.50, which makes her
for the year $4O5, an increase
Of more than 100 per cent. If a man
is opposed to this increased tax to give
to the children a longer school term,
and pay the teachers wages that will
keep them off the outside pauper list,
let him come out and boldly say so.
Please do not charge up these in
creases to the revaluation act which,
as heretofore stated, reduced the
taxes paid in 1919 and 1920 As per
cent [
To,I ox,o ,uho x,,ill octohI;oh ~