The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1921-04-09
CITIZENS IN PUBLIC MEETING VOICE 0PP0-
|S|TION AGAINST HIGHER TAX ASSESSMENTS

To counteract the impression that
has gone forth IN official circles at
Jackson that Hancock County is
shirking and evading proper asses
ments in values is the gist of the re-
suit of the called meeting held at the
courthouse in Bay st. Louis on
Thursday night, and to give express
sion to progressive and constructive
ideas
This meeting was called by part of
the citizenry of Hancock County,
and "all residents and citizens of the
county earnestly invited and reques-
ted to attend, as all are vitality in
terested IN the questions presented
at this meeting" This call was
signed by H. S. Weston, president of
the Board of Supervisors; R. w.
Mayor of the City of Bay st. Louis;
A. L. Stokoe, w. J, Gex, E. j. Gex,
r. L. Genin, C. L. Waller. Carl Mar
shall, Ernest J. Leonhard, Eddie
Favre, DIR. ]. @. Fountain.
The result was that the courthouse
on Thursday night was filled to the
extent that every available seat was
occupied and the lobby and entrance
was crowded, every part of the coun-
ty represented Many had travelled
miles to return home the same night.
A passerby on the outside would
have seen a line of automobiles lin
ing both sides of Main street for a
considerable distance. BY actual
note it was seen that Logtown, Flat
Top, Crane Greek, Aaron Academy,
Caesar, Kiln, Lake Shore and Wave
were well represented.
w. j. Gex, after stating the object
of the meeting, was elected perman-
ent chairman; DR.. A. A. Kergosien,
secretary. Mr.. Gex spoke along
general lines, telling, (and It was
later proven by statistics from the
State Commission) how, compared
to the other and richer counties in
the State of Mississippi that Hancock
county carried larger assessment;
that it's wild lands and its cut-over
lands and other values carried an as
sessment comparatively far in ex-
cess of even the rich in the delta.
And this in face of the fact that Han
cock County was the poorest in the
State, thus the people and co-opera-
tions here were paying by far great
er tribute to the State Golfers and
that in return we received less. This
was shown in several instances, par
ticularly in the case of the States
apportionment of school monies,
where Hancock County received only
a scant consideration due to the fact
that while we paid more monies into
the State Treasury, the apportion-
ment wash based on population and
educable children Hancock County
is sparsely settled in many parts, and
is well known.
Another fact and point shown was
rolls thirty-two thousand acres of
land known as the Sixteenth or
School Lands, belonging to the Gov
ernmnt, hence paying no taxes and
thus not sharing the burden. Much
of this land by the original appor-
tionment belongs to other counties,
hence we are carrying this void in
our values not only for ourselves but
for many other counties over the
State as we'll When the original ap-
portionment of school lands was
made in many counties there were
not sufficient land and the deficiency
was made up from Hancock County.
And all this tends and does minim-
ize our taxable values and throws
the burden of those who pay the
bills.
1t was shown by the different
speakers of the evening that the
impression had been established at
Jackson in the minds of the men,
bers of the State Tax Commission
that Hancock County land and other
property owners were practically
tax dodgers inasmuch as a committee
of gentlemen representing an assoc
iation recently formed in Bay st.
Louis had journeyed hither, and
had made it appear to the Commits
sion that our assessments were low
and it is taken for granted by natur-
al assumption that this committee of
body will advocate and do want a