The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1921-04-22
NO REDUCTION
IN YOUR TAXES
If Appraisals Are Reduced 10
Per Cent, Tax Rate Will Be
Increased Proportion
ately.

A blanket reduction Of 10 per
cent in the assessed value of all
real property in Pasquotank
County which was recommended
to the State Tax Commission by
the joint meeting of the board OF
county commissioners and the
county board of appraisers will
not make any difference in ones
taxes. If the blanket cut is ap-
proved by the Tax Commission,
the county commissioners will
raise the tax rate, because the
county must raise the same rev.
enue this year that it raised last
year. So declares N. Burfoot,
chairman of the board of County
Commissioners. Mr.. Burfoot
has written to the State Tax
Commission urging that body
not to reduce valuations.
Any blanket reduction in the valua-
ton of property in this county is fatty
opposed by Mr.. Burfoot and by J. P.
Thompson, who supervised the revalua-
ton of property in this county These
gentlemen presented some interesting
figures at the joint meeting of the COM
missioners and board of appraisers to
show that property had not been valued
too high in this city and county. Out
of about SO transfers of real estate
made in this city and county within the
past few months they found only two
instances in which land was sold for
less than it's appraised value; but in all
other instances property had sold at a
much higher figure than the appraised
value.
The two exceptional instances were:
1. S. w. Scott, sold to J. G. Brown,
ten acres appraised at $500, sold for
1920. 2. T. P. Nash sold to Joe Ell
lis, a lot on Poindexter ST., valued at
$3,1OO, sold for S. 900.
- But IN every -otifler stransfes er made
within recent months the appraised val
ue was much lower than the price COM
and this spite of the fact that
times and sold during the period of de-
preston. There was the residence of
the late w. P. Knowles, on Martin St.,
at $500 and sold a few
weeks ago for $2,95O. w. D Saunders
home on Euclid Heights road, appraised
at $500 was sold to w. D. Dozier
for $4,000. Mullin Weeks sold to Harry
Sedgwick for $1,5OO, a town lot ap-
praised at $500; sale made last Decem-
ber. Mrs. Rufus Parson sold a resi-
dence on Center st. in this city in De-
cember, for $1,SOO. It was appraised
at 81 1000. More than two score SINH
lar cases could be cited.
And here's a case where land sold for
more than double it's appraised value.
On Jan. IA, 1921, J. 7. Garrett sold
to Coppersmith Bros, a farm in the
Simonds Greek section of this county
for $4,000, appraised at only $4,000.
The transfers cited here were all
made during a period of depression fol-
lowing the peak price period of year
ago. Going back to last summer one
finds the J. A. Byrum farms on the out
skirts of town, valued at $4,000, sold
70 the Newbern Produce Co. for $780,
700. And the Lumsden Farm owned
" Mrs. Sarah K. Lumsden, valued at
s52 900. sold for $4,000 to S. W.
Scott, G. T. Scott and S. G.. Scott. The
act that these sales fell thru doesn't
,bliterate the fact of their high value.
The Newberns forfeited $4,000 option
money on the Byrum farms and the
scotts forfeited $4,000 on the Lumsden
Farm; but not so much because they
loubted their judgment, but because the
,ottom dropped out of everything else
bout the time their options expired.
AS a general proposition, property in
oasquotank was fairly valued. In spe-
ial instances where values are too high
corrections undoubtedly will be made on
Individual petitions to the county COM
nissioners.
Chowan and Tyrrel1 counties here in
northeastern North Carolina do not
hink their values too high and have
sked for no cut. Gates county has
sked for a ten per cent cut. Thirty
our counties in the state have asked
or cuts in valuation ranging from 10
er cent to 60 per cent sThirty-three !
nd a third per cent is popular hgure |
nth the counties asking for a reduc- |
ion.