The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1921-07-15
Chairman Td1
Com. Writes
The Super11isors
Explains Why Full and Fair Assess.
, ment Should be Made. No Tax
Dodginx to be Permitted.

4
Most citizens clamor for good road.
and good schools, but complain at tn.
taxation, which is necessary to brins
Gus school and road districts have
been created throughout the state
Each has tax levies for redemption
Of bonds, interest add maintenance
fund. Bond issue after bond issue has
been foated; these will tax the citi.
zens for years to come. These things
are responsible for the high taxation
yet the average citizen imagines that
other expenses Of government are at
fault. County and local taxation
amounts to three to six times as much
as, the state tax; yet the saanervisOrs
are responsible. for county. taxation,
for you have it in your power to con-
troll the expenditure Of the county's
money and to impose the tax ratey
necessary to furnish the county funds.
You are now confronted with the
duty of enforcing the assessment laws
so that the necessary funds will sbe
collected by fair and equal taxation.
In your efforts to do SO. you have
our sympathy, especially with the de-
SSSlOu tHdL now cXlSLS.
The state gives back to the coun-
ties most of the money that she COL
lects, to help them with local taxation:
She gives annually 100000 for
public schools and agricultural
high schools, and 100000 for Con.
federate pensions This 81, 900 is
more than six mills on the assess
ment Of the state for 1919, which
was $7O2 100000. More than half Of
the counties Of the state receive more
for these funds than the state actual
ly collects out ofehem. The import
ance of a full and fair assessment for
the entire state is most manifest.
The legislature Of 1920 used the
assessments of 1919 in fixing the
budget for 1920 and 1921. An in
crease in assessment was contem-
plated for each of these years. If
YOU were permitted to make q reduc-
ton in assessments, the state treas
ury would be embarrassed to the ex-
tent that it could not pay the appro-
priations made for the schools and
pensions. Instead of its
being the duty of the supervisors to
conniye with some of the wealthy tax
payers TO reduce the zmount of state
tax to be collected from the citizens
in the county, it is the supervisors
moral duty to effect a full and fair
so that the state can meet
its obligations and help the counties
with their school expenses. It is your
sworn duty to do this because YOU
have taken the oath Of office to en-
force the laws Of the state, and the
avs apprOpriating the $3,9OO,OOO for
The schools and the $8OO,OOO annual
" for the Confederate pensioners.
are laws of the state
Property can now be assessed con-
siderably higher than it was in 1919
and not be Over-valued. Some of the
counties have alreadv increased their
and have asked the tax
commission to see that the other
counties are assessed equally.
The tax commission has, therefore.
been the shield for the supervisors
rom the i'll will of the taxpayers.
With the depression and with the mis-
understanding on the part of some of
he taxpayers as to what is the cause
If high taxation, you may find some
ilfficuty in convincing the taxpayers
hat it is your moral and official duty
% fix his assessment for a full and
air value. Whether you succeed or
lot in doing so, you may advise him
hat the tax commission will not per-
nit you to do so; for we expect to see
hat the assessments Of every county
'ome up properly. We have no apollo
" to offer for preventing taxdodg-
ng. 1t is best for you to fix the as
easements high enoueh now so that
We shall not be compelled to force
yOu to raise the assessments later.
Yours very truly,
DUNCAN L. THOMPSON,
Chairman.