The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-09-03
City Tax Assessments.

Under the Ordinances of the City it is the duty of
the Tax Assessors, elected by the Mayor and Coun
ell to complete their assessments of all ctv nro
perty, as far possible by the first of June of each
year Notwithstanding three months has elapsed
since the usual time for the making of these assess
ments for this year. the present Tax Assessors have
made no report of the results of their work or if
one has been made, the same is being withheld and
the people OF the City still in ignorance of the
property values which have been fixed as basis for
computing their 1920 city taxes
The minutes of the Mayor and Council show that
on August 10TH 1920 the 1920 tax levy was made
as follows: forty cents for general purposes forty
cents for sinking fund and thirty cents for schools
total tax levy of $l10 on the hundred
new charter for the City has been proposed bv
the present administration, and it's ratification or
rejection is an issue pending before the people
to be settled on September 22nd, next The new
charter contains radical changes in the Cty's sys
TEN of taxation. THE JOURNAL has questioned
the wisdom OF these changes The present admins
tratiOn land other progressive citizens have re-
Gently distributed broadcast pink circular dealing
with this question of taxation. In this circular such
statements as these appear: ''Now raise the assess
ment to $5OOO,O00.'' Suppose the assessed value
goes from $35O00O0 to $5,OOOOOO in one year"
l on see from above that the greatest amount pos
Slble under the charter is rate of 80 on Five
Million value and under the old charter it is 90
rate Under the charter you cannot possibly
pay in excess of 1-3 per cent more than you did
last year. The foregoing statements assume an as
sessment for this year of $5,00O000
THE JOURNAL showed last week that the pro-
perty assessments in this City had increased only
1896, 446 In period of eleven years, an average in
crease OF $40 1873 per year, And yet talk is
on the streets that this year assessments going
to be S5,000,0O0 increase of 81 250000
1t is uncomfortable to THE JOURNAL that such
stupendous increase will be attempted to be forced
upon the people by the present administration But
suppose it is Where will the people stand? The
tax levy for this year has been made and stated
it has been fixed at $l.1O, the rate last year
That means that the taxpayers will pay this year
$4,000 in taxes against S4l250 paid last year.
an increase of $l3750 33 per cent instead of
is l-3 per cent suggested and carefully figured
out III the pink circular. Then. if the new char
ter is ratified next year the people be required
to pay for general purposes ten per cent than
they pay this year, and then ten per cent increase
each year thereafter and forever
THE JOURNAL feels that the people are en-
titled to know the facts about this important matter
What is the present administration doing and what
is it intending to do? Why are the tax assessments
being so long withheld? s.,
| THE JOURNAL cannot bring itself to believe that
those in charge of thee itys affairs are deliberately
juggling manipulating this important and vital
matter for the purpose of gaining some advantage
in the charter revision fight. And yet, why all this
talk and assumptionG THE JOURNAL says Turn
OH the light; let s have the facts ,s.s