The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-12

NffAFti4fgk9Ig4N1t W. Na.B. b6Gs -
-eThc state Of West Virginia
would he unworthy OF its sovereign.
~ Fiji did not give its best effort
to proyide fairiand even distribu.
lion oil tiia burdens Of government
al support 50 that every taxpayer,
be he large Of small, should have
the guarantee Of impartial assess.
ment with the taxpayers Of the 81
other counties.'' This was the
declaration made at the opening
of the annual meeting of the as.
SCISSORS Of the state by Walter 8.
Hallapan, state tax commissioner.
who followed with a reiterauon OIL
his policy o. equality in the assess.
ment Of properly. upon one stand
ard Of valuation.
u nave always insisted upon the
Importance Of uniform valuations
based upon the standard fixed by
law declared The tax commission.
or ~ am stronger today In the
conviction that Il Is only the right.
and just policy than I have ever
been before. Il would never Civ >
surrender to those critics who
Mo Wy, sA a vtA9t !,,a =" ~. ss
,aHs. ny patt !, ! " SS Eat 4,ss
y. y n WE ~; an ~. Say a. Jus
principle know to be so funda.
mentally right and Just as that Of
uniform and equal assessments"
Referring in his annual address
70 ~ ;ssas. a ~ Ss,t s sa..s
o .s u p5 Isa,,s y agn t tsa.
In w ssses 's ~, . ~.
ens Ply ~ asassu ,lssenus ~, az ~.
posss stass ~ yss T.. iast see.
suo w Z sy..slasa aDss tess lnet ' sase
nun 5vp ~ sae past e's 4.
yeuss: ~ . ssistsu a!tsasioIGIo ~
opl,ost.hot " sns ptoposeu . !tnl..u
ron q ley ~ gy ssl. y y,
amen9Leensi pls auaea tnat u Is nus
ln l,.'. - sunn!it q proposea coM,
s''Is.,oasa. 'sla III W Ine ue@.
lSeslslatuFe VIII tne purpose OF
naVins Y yosea UPON py Ins pso'
p'e M sns n my. geneEal e!ec ~
Slassitleat l!i toi ilroneEty lor Jay
alton = anotner slmportant REQUIRE
mehl ior ytns system IN MS sIate.
me t'sS commits signer salu, IN ofoeF
70 reacn 9nIaanglple property
We ave praetically receiving
noenlng N la3es !, from lhtahslpis
property now, declared COMMITS
sloner Hallanans certainly: It can
be SAID tnatS%e nave everything c
gain ana nothing TO lose. The ex-
perlenre elseWnere causes US 10
reallze that tens ios millions IN IN
visible wealth would, under a mod
crate rate 60 onto the tax books
and the total yield from this class
o. PROPERTY wolld greatly exceed
Tie revenue OF the present time.
the state has added TINS year to
me assessment folls S0S6'5VS'SVl ln
Valuation, ne 2aunea.
N9t SATISFIED.
ranklysil am not satlsued that
the increase 10 many OF the coun
res ~ UP 70 tne required STAND
ard. he continued: There are
numerous sreasons why some OF the
countles dla9 nos respond with the
inereas p that was anticipated. The
Two most potent reasons, however,
are tnese First tine assessor dtd
not make the effort TO carry out
his duty fully and failed wholly
heeause ot lack OF enort; SECOND,
some q the assessors, who did their
part, found themselves IN the UNI
fortunate sposlpon OF Delng nam
pered by anita ontstic or arbitrary
boards Of review and equalization."
Continuing. tho tax commissioner
sad Y. part:
eolihcal antagonists have pro.
tested IN the 3loudest cries because
the Legislature Of 1921 clothed the
tax commissioner with authority to
perform q responsibility delegated
70 nm When the Office was created
IN 1903 at which time It was pro.
yided BY the statute that 1t shall
BIO the duty OF the state tax com.
missioner 20 see that the laws CON
corning the assessment and collec
lion Of all taxes and leytes, wheth'
e % the state or OF the county,
district OF municipal corporation
thereof are faithfully enforced.
Recanse an honest effort was made
70 live up % that responsibility,
the tax commissioner has been rn-
ferred 20 asa car with broadly
attocrahc powers. That campaign
81 approximation has been car.
ried on largely by those who had
hnnf Il ny 3Hndpafas 1tndaTr Tho oI6