Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-05-18

| the Il1SI GllOIC CNtI lllduC ~ SOlIl'
bine the counties and carry the
fight against the commission in
to the courts.
In addition to the county
judges those who ATTENDED the
meeting yesterday and sanction
ed the stand taken by the Judges
we're: J. P. Chcnault, county at
torney Madison county; H. c
Ford, county attorney Scott
county; Spence S. Carrick, coum-
ty attorney Fayette county; w
W. Adams, tax commissioner OF
Madison county; William White,
tax commissioner for Fayetfe
county; Faust Foushee, county
clerk OF Fayette county, and
James Bradley, county clerk of
Scott county. In addition to
these officials, Attorneys Rod
man w. Keenon and George
Webb, of Lexington, J. J. Green
leaf and o. P. Jackson, of Rich
mond, all attended the meeting
and participated in the discus
sion.
The situation existing III 9TH
er counties opposing the tax
commission is similar to that in
Fayette. An assessment OF Sol
C00,000 was fixed for Fayette by
Tax Commissioner VIM. White
and these figures were submitted
to the state commission. After
reviewing the figures the COM
mission ordered an increase Of
$l0,OC0,000 making the total as
sessment $101 ,C00,OO0.
The county board Of supervis-
ors of Fayette county met and
after remaining in session many
days, made increases amounting
to Approximately $4,500,C00. The
increases on farm lands and town
lots were met, but the board de-
clared it was unable to meet the
raises asked on tangible and per-
sonal property.
These figures were then certt-.
fed and forwarded to the tax
commission at Frankfort. Upon
their receipt Judge Doak was Or
dered to appear before the COM
mission and show cause why re-
assessment should not be order
ed.
Judge Doak in his statement
to the commission declared that
in his opinion the board of ST.
Pcrvisors which has just adjourn
ed made a good assessment. He
expressed a doubt that he has
authority to reconvene the board
and make a reassessment to-
NEE the demands of the commits
sion He took the position that
the state commission has noI
power to order a reassessment,
and if it has, it is under the acfs
Of the Assembly OF 1920 and such
reasSessment he added. would IL
nally have TO be referred back toI
the loal board for approval. HeI
challenged the opinion of Attor-
ney General Charles |. Dawson.
giving the commission the right
to go into a county and order 4
reaSsessment at the county's ex-
Dense.
Acting Chairman James Scott
after Judge Doak's statement
had been read, declared that it
was the Commissioner desire +oI
equalize the assessment Of thei
counties fairly and ilnpartially
and declared that the commissionI
derived its powers from a legi5-
lative act Of 1917.
''If you want to bring a suit
and test out the powers of the
commission, we are ready" saidI
Acting chairman Scott. "If there
IS anything we like it is a fight,
especially a fight that will es-
tablish the authority of the COM
mission, which l believe such Il
suit would do. If the commits
sion has no authority to pass
upon the reaSsessment of county
boards the sooner we find it out
the better. 1t looks to us like
you and your board are I'D
against public sentiment and you
are afraid of it. If the commits
sion has to send a staff of ex-
perts to Fayette to make a new
assessment, it will be composed
of men who are not afraid of
this sentiment that you talk
about and who will get better
assessment than your board has
been able to make"
2S Fine Horses Burn