Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-06-27
Republican Site Tax Comnissioner
Arbitrarily Takes Charge Of A.
sessment in Fayette County
10 Boost Property Values
NAVE Or RESENTMENT SWEEPS STATE
Newspapers Rise up 10 Protest G. O. P.
Plan 10 Obtain Funds to Meet De-
ficif IN Increased Operating Ex-
penses Of State Government

m ex9TCaSInS the Wlue dutHOIlly III
vested In him by the Republican legis-
lature 10 "get the money" to meet the
millions of dollars increase In operat-
ing expenses of the state government.
authorized at the last session, Water
8. Hallanan, Republican state tax COM
missioner, has arbitrarily removed from
authority the duly elected assessor
Of Fayette county and placed In his
stead Republican trained moneyget-
ting experts with specific instructions
30 boost property values in Fayette.
The action Of the tax commissioner,
coming as an official announcement
from his Office, heralds the first open
break in the volcano Of resentment
against the program Of the tax COM
missioner and the Republican state
administration which has been smoul-
dering in every nook and Granny Of
the state. Indications are that the
opposition will not be confined entire
~ to Fayette county, but will spread
rapidly among the assessors in numer-
GUS other counties.
Must Increase" He Is Ordered.
e. B. Rookie is the assessor of Fay
cite who declined to enter wholeheart-
edly into the plan Of the tax commits
sioner to increase the assessment of
property upon explicit instructions
from the commissioner. Mr.. Rookie,
according to Fayette county newspa-
pers which, along with the majority
Of property owners Of the county are
backing the assessor In his refusal
30 carry out explicitly the edict of the
state tax commissioner, received in
structions from the commissioner that
he must increase" all property valua-
lions In the county He was given to
lions Should be doubled" at least.
In taking the assessment of Fayette
county property into his own hands,
Commissioner Hallanan has announced
that he will send a corps of deputy
assessors from his office into Fayette
county, who are not acquainted with
local conditions, to see that the prop
erty for taxation purposes Is proper
"" boosted. This additional heavy
assessment expense must be met by the
county court, Mr. Hallanan says
Discussing the plan editorially, the
Fayette Democrat. published by J. e..
Phillips, remarked before Mr.. Halla-
nan carried out hfs threat to take
charge of the assessment in Fayette
"We note with interest an article
which states that the assessments in
Fayette county have been increased
over six million dollars this year, and
that unless the assessments are given
a further increase the tax commission
er will take charge Of our books and
make the assessments to his own lik-
fng. The reason given Is that when
the valuation Is increased the levy
can be reduced. Some bosh!
"stomachs Full OF Normaicy."
"Our stomachs have been filled with
normally and political trickery, and
If our property valuation is to be In
creased, why not be frank and state
the facts to the people? The facts
are that the state officials are now
spending approximately thirty per cent
more of the peoples money In salaries
and other expenses in conducting our
state government than has heretofore
been expended"
The instructions going out to asses
sors from the tax commissioners office,
It is said, make no reference to de-
creasing property valuations where
they might have been previously as
sessed too high. 1t is obligatory upon
the assessors to boost the rates, under
threat of having Republican trained
experts from the office Of Mr.. Halla-
nan take the matter out of the hands
of the county assessors In other coun-
ties
It is what many newspapers, includ-
ing some Republican dailies and week
lies, term as ''this high-handed course
of procedure" that is being generally
resented over the state by taxpayers,
coming at a time when 1t is extremely
difficult for farmers and persons en- |
gagged in most every other kind Of oc-
cupation to meet the already heavy
taxes and current expenses.
While the task Of garnering the
extra shekels for the increased salaries !
of himself and other state officials |
and the refilling of the pork barrel /
for other state attaches Is said to be
very distasteful personally for Mr.. |.
Hallanan because of the storm Of pro-
test and criticism it has heaped upon
his head, the political future of the
tax commissioner depends largely upon
his ability to "get the money" In this |
case, according to information from
reliable sources
How The Deal Was Made.
The proposal made to Mr.. Hallanan
by the Republican state organization |
Is reported to have been presented |
something like this:
Now, Walter, you make an honest |
effort to get the money by executing
the program to boost assessments and |
the whole gang win jump in and help
elect you governor in 1924 In order
for the present administration to make