The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-28
gIIN TAX levy
NIE..LBE'LONER
yNDERNEWPLAN
True and Actual Valuation Of
Property viii Greatly
Reduce Levies.

The efforts of W. S. Hallanan.
state tax commissioner. to e1ualize
the tax burdens in the state have
sbeen INDICATED by information
compiled by the assessors OF Ma
rion, Kanawha and CabelI counties
that the tax rates in Fairmont.
charleston and Huntington will be
reduced more than 80 per cent this
year.
The rate in this city last Year
was 81 on the 500 valuation, and
this year 1t Will he so cents or less.
according to an announcement
made by q. r. Davis, city director
in charge Of finance Last year
$250,0O0 was raised to cover the
operating costs Of the city for the
fiscal year. The ass9ssed value.
slion Of the property in THE city was
$25,000.000, and therefore the levy
Of 81 on the 800 raised the $3.50 .
1000 needed TO cover the expenses.
County Assessor A. Glenn Spring.
len announced today that the as.
sessed valuation for the city this
Gar under the true and actual
lluatIon plan inaugurated by
Commissioner FEallanan would b.
600, 900 or more. In arriving at
NJ conclusion, Assessor Syringe:
that tho valuation Of the real
estate in the municipality will he
increased 100 per cent or more
that the personal property will re-
main about the Same and that q
good increase is assured from the
public service corporations.
With an assessed valuation CT
Afl,000,00O, II the city directors
follow out the plan recommended
by Director Davis, which is to keep
the running expenses of the city at
100000 for the coming year, ths
leyytwill be fifty cents on the on"
( hundred dollar valuation. Direc.
11tor Davis says that with the cost
7 Of everything coming down some.
s250,000 next year will be equiya.
lent to $275,000 this year ard there
fore by keeping the amount to be
Appropriated for the next fiscal
year the same as last It will be in
reality an increase OF $4,000 over
last year.
May Ask Increase.
1t is stated, however, that Direc-
tor Morris favors an increase Of
sci, 900 in the appropriation this
year making the amount to BIZ
raised by taxes $275,00O II this
plan is carried out, 1t will mean a
slight increase in taxes over last
year and levy slightly higher
than SO cents on the dollar. Direc.
tor Arnett favors slight increase
in keeping with the growth Of TIL?
City Mayor Conway who com
pletes the board has not announced
which Of the plans he vii! favor OF
whether he has some plan of his
own to present or not.
The rate at Huntington last year
l was $3.04 on the 800 valuation and
Stthis year It will be S1.4O. according
to an announcement made by the
assessor few days ago a. r..
I Shepherd. assessor Of kanawha
County, said the rate in Charleston
i will be about $1.23 on the 500 val
nation. a reduction OF more than
eG0.pcr cent over last year. In case
the expenditures OF any munfcipaI'
tty prove at all excessive, the tax
commissioner will decline TO ap
prove the levies.
In discussing the assessing OF all
the real estate in the county at its
true ami actual value. Assessor
Springer says that the real estate
in all municipalities III the county
will increase 100 per cen: or more
this year. A liberal increase in the
valuation OF all public service cor.
poratIons IS also promised in all
the municipalities so It lS highly
IMPOSSIBLE that the increase in some
municipalities will be greater than
cooper cent.
Farmers Benefit.
iIn the rural and farm sections.
the increase will not be so marked,
SlIssessos Springer says that most
the farmers are paying all the
fASes now that it is possible for
1 HEN to pay II they are to continue
10 operate their farms and make ex'
I penses. The rate Of increase in
those sections Of the county will
not be more than 80 to 40 per cent.
THE rates In the maEistcrial dis
tficts also will he reduced proper
tionately. The plan is to provide
IA maximum levy OF $1.25 for dis
lsricts outside Of municipalities. but
in, many districts 1t will be greatly
less than that. The average dis.
trict rate 10 1921 was $1.96k while
the average municipal rate was
S2.777S.
Valuation Uniform.
Estimates of the amount of mon.
ey which will be required TO con,
duct municipal and district affairs
show that not only can the rates
be reduced to $3.50 and Sl.25. the
maximum fixed by COMMISSIONER
Hallanan, hut that they can he
drought to point considerable
lower than that. These low rates
are made possible through the in.
creased assessed valuation pro-
gram which is now in progress.
The valuation will be made uni.
form and basic in all counties. and
In this manner each citizen OF the
state will bear his just Share OF the
burden of taxation.
"A maximum levy rate will be prn-
vided for in an amendment to the
AcnnstftutiOn. to bn submitted IN tho