The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1921-08-25

sind that great many taxpayers
will have to borrow the money to
pay their taxes this fall. Nov what
have we done in our own businessf
Well. the automobile does not make
as many trips as il used to. a great
many farm houses need painting,
f,nc.be needs 10 be done, washes
need to be stopped, our barns need
a new roof and many other things
need to be done as You know. Are
we doing them7 mol Why note
Because we haven't the money to
spare and our good Judgment tells
us not to burden ourselves with any
more obligations than we now have.
Now friends, according to my ideas,
if we are to reduce taxation here at
home, land that is what we must
consider as more than two thirds of
what you pay in taxation stays here
at home, and is spent here by your
fiscal court, and your county school
board), then we will have to deny
ourselves some of the things that
we are demanding and voting for;
roll some of our road machinery in
the shed, let fewer contracts or let
them much cheaper, combine some
of the county offices and make some
of us do more to earn our money,
and then as much as think of edu-
cation, I think it would have to be
checked in many ways until we could
bridge over these hard times. Now
which do we want, good roads and
good schools with high taxes or
lower taxes and more indifferent
roads and schools. We cannot have |
both. [
Our entire rate is S1.27 on each |
one hundred dollars worth Of prop
erty. The state rate is 40 cents and
the county gets 1877 cents. As i
stated above, there are two ways to
reduce taxation, which are accord
ing 10 law.
The county, through its fiscal
court, levies county tax rate each
year (about July 1st / think) toH
meet the expenses of the county's
business. Our county rate can be
from one cent to so cents, accord
ing to the ideas and judgment of {
the county commissioners. This
rate cannot be increased, as it is up
to the limit, but it can be reduced,
and thereby reduce taxation.
Four years ago our school rate
was Is cents per hundred, and it is
now 81 cents per hundred, so you
see, friends, that this increase IN
the rate is responsible for high taxes
lust rs much as the increase of val
uation.
Unless property is assessed lat
more than its par cash value the
State Of Kentucky has no lawful
means of reducing its taxes other
than lowering its rate, and this can
only be done by the legislature. Dur
ing my term of office / have added
33 per cent to the assessment on
real estate, and the state has re-
dnced its rate from 55 cents to 40
cents. According to actual figures
live stock is paying 72 per cent less
than it did under the old law. Take
the land and the live stock together,
figure as whole and you will find
that as far as the state is concerned
it's taxes against the farmer have
only increased around 25 per cent. |
The reason that | am mentioning
these facts is that the large major
ity of people who complain to me
seem to lay the whole blame upon |
the State, her bad tax law, and its
unbusinesslike. administration. now
agree with you that great many |
changes can be made down at
Frankfort to remedy things, but
right here wish to remind you.
and repeat the statement ahove, that
we ourselves are responsible for
more than two thirds of the increase
n taxes Now I have. given you
the law regarding the assessing value
hat must he put on property, and
! have told you where the power lie'
to reduce the rate, and thereby re-
duce taxation.
Is it up to me to violate my oath
Of office( shm my duty, shoulder
'ho ~nsrousibility of some other Of
ficisl, No! ! believe that you will
agree with me and think that every
official shall perform his lawful du-
ties and meet them face to face as
thev appear.
The legislature win meet this com
ing winter and l think il will be
GOOD opportunity for the farmers Of