The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1920-06-25
The County Court and Tax Rate

probable action of the court next
Tuesday. when il meets In regular
July session, on the 1920 tax rate.
The following conclusions are made
from what we learned.
fhe Equalization Board has not yet
completed it's work in fixing values on
the county property. 1t will probably
take all the present week to complete
these figures. even il can be done by
that time. Some of the district tax
books are not completed and are not at
this date "wednesday afternoon) avail
able to the Equalization Board. After
the board gets these books from as.
SCISSORS the figures must be gore over
by the board and fixed, that is raised.
lowered or accepted by that body.
These books then as completed by the
Equalization Board must 90 to Nash
vile and be passed on by the State
Board before they can be accepted as
the countS's final values.
The County Court which meets next
Tuesday will not be able to have at
hand the figures of the State Board
which are the final valuations fer the
county, and it can not be seen how the
court cen fix the tax rate at the reg
ular July meeting of that body. These
are our own conclusions from the con.
ditions which we tiud at this date.
1t is generally estimated that the
value finally fixed for Fsyette county
will be about four times what they
we're last year. The figures fixed by
representatives of the Chief Stats
tician's Office last fall when they we're
here we're about four times the past
years assessments and it is not be-
lieved these figures will be materially
changed. 10 fact it has been told
many land owner in this county by
assessors that the figures fixed by the
State Board would be finally chosen as
the values and there was no need to
change them.
Further we conclude that the figures
fixed on farm lands and small town
property, towns such as Somerviile
and other towns in this county, have
been raised in assessment far more
than CITY property. the property of the
railroads and the other large corpora
tions. A few mineral tracts 10 Eaet
Tennessee have been raised tremend-
ously and these raises have been
fiaunted to the four corners of the
state for effect they would nave, but
1t remains q fact that q few more
weeks will prove true. these big busi-
ness concerns have not been increased
like the farmer and small town prop
erty owner, and when the final tax
figures are made known the farmer
will pay more dollars of taxes than he
ever paid before and the big business
will pay less dollars. Just watch and
see il the railroads pay Fayette county
as many dollars in 1920 as they did in
1919. and see II every farm does not
pay more dollars.
The state figures have been about
multiplied by four and the state tax
will be reduced from 55 cents down TO
rs cents. Is that cutting it by four
the ratio of raise made In value? The
Chief Statisticisn some months ago
sent statement to US and it appeared
in these columns. advising that the
county rate here should be about 80
cents. He assumes to divide the pres
ent county rate of ST. 55 by four. almost,
to fit the increase in values, but he
does not cut the state rate in the same
proportion. We figured for you at that
time that under his figures Fayette
county would pay sl4,0c0 more TO the
state in 1920 than she did in 1919. an
increase of almost exactly fifty per
cent. and we predict that If We get
off with an increase of fifty per cent
we are doing well.
The county must have more revenue
than it has had in past years. The in.
come has not been as much as the ex
penses and this condition can not be
continued. Therefore, the count,
rate will have to be more than 80 cents,
and we predict that the county court
will so see il. The state rate is not
cut by four. can the county rate be
cut by four?
We conclude. too. that the County
Board Of Equalization has been as
honest and fair with the public as
could be, but 1t remains for the State
Board to pass on the figures adopted
In most assessments.