The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-02-21
INDIVIDUALS TO BLAME FOR EXCESSIVE TAXES
WAYNE FARMERS ARE TOLD AT A BIG SESSION

Taxpayers are themselves to blame |
for high taxes and for inefficient or
extrayagant use of tax money, said
Earl Crawford and John J. Brown,
chairman of the state tax commission.
speaking before Wayne county farm
ers in the Coliseum Monday night.
IF legislation has Disseminated
against US in the past said Crawford,
who is the farm bureau district d.
rector, I'VE have only ourselves 10
blame. We have left all matters OF
government to others, without even
giving them any information for their
guidance.
81 have no patience with complaints
made by those who are doing nothing
or do not belong to some association
that is working to improve conditions.
If we had taken the proper interest in
our taxes and the spending of tax
money few years ago, we would not
have such heavy taxes TO meet this
year.
"No farmer should be too busy on
primary day to get out and help
choose the best men to manage our
affairs The politicians are following
the same old game at the love feasts'
and conferences you read about They
are rafting the bones of Jefferson and
Lincoln and telling you to follow the,
leader.
Prosperity Guides Condition.
Conditions will not improve until
the farmer is more prosperous, SAID
Mr.. Brown. but we must not jolly
ourselves into thinking that they will
improve OF themselves, or that we can
sit down and wait for others to help
us.
Taxes can only be reduced by re-
ducing expenses" said Brown. Low
er land valuations, would not help. If
a dollar is spent for public improve
ment, it must be paid by the public.
Your heaviest expense here in Wayne
county is for your schools. Only soy
of every 500 paid by you in taxes,
goes for state purposes.
State administration expense takes
II cents, S291 goes to state benevol-
ent institutions, 90 cents to the state
memorial and $1.39 to the state col
leges. All the rest, $94.71 of every
800, is spent in Wayne county.
schools take s42.77, highways take
S15.05. county administration, $10.2S;
township administration, s2.79; cities
and towns. s2303; and the poor, 80
cents.
Lower Rates Here.
IF YOU want taxes lowered, the
place to do it is right here in Wayne
county Don't grumble at your hlSh
taxes when you come to the court
house TO nav them, and then sign
petition for some expensive improve
ment rs YOU go out Keep down ln.-
proyements while taxes come so haru,
examine your expenses and help your
officials in getting more efficient SER
vice and cheaper improvements.
1T has been too easy to get our
selves into debt. Whenever we want
cd to build a road or a bridge or :.
school. some bank or trust company
stood ready to lend the money on
bonds and we looked on as II bond
issues were no concern OF ours. YET
IN Marion county, there are over 20
millions of bonds, and II there were
no other expenses for years, lhete
would be heavy taxes to just pay the
interest on that debt.
Denies Petitions.
THE state tax commission mas ue
Nod 70 ner cent of the petitions for
announcements that were opJecteu u
NV 10 of more taxpayers, as we beheVe
costs of construction are TOO much
nut of line now. We can do notnlnG
with units that are agreed upon poliu-
ing themselves, however, unless the
bond interest rate is over i've pei
cent o,,or
oJndiana farm land bears smaller
nroportion of the tax expense tIali
last year" said Mr.. Brown, VINO suo"
ed that in consequence OF the true
value valuation law, real estate taxes
this last year bore only 6l.3S percent
of the total tax, against 64:56 percent
the wear before. Taxes are pouhd 40
be high for some time on account Oh
The hugh debts resulting from the war,
amounting to S1,130 per family OK
five, against pre-war family aebt o OF
s55 and increase of more than 70
times.
Valuations Varied.
Valuations on which taxes were as
sessed in Indiana two years ago varied
from 14-7 percent of the true value 10
146 percent of the true value IN the
case of personal property, said the
sneaker. Corporations were usually
assessed higher than the average Oh
other property, and were suing against
payment on the complaint OF dlscrlm
nation. In Chicago company re-
covered half million of taxes paid
under these circumstances. The pres
ent law provides for a true, full cash
valuation as a basis for levying taxes
This valuation is described as the sum
the property will bring at the assess
ing date. when sold at a customary
and usual price agreed upon between
. willing seller and willing buyer
Strong dsapproval OF non-taxable
securities was voiced by Mr.. Brown
who said that the ease of selling them
has made Indebtedness too easy for
many communities, as well as enabling
much property to escape taxation
Upon a point raised by A. L. Baldwin
of Webster, that taxation of bonds
would mean higher rate of interest
the speaker agreed, saying, however