The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-28
GEIY TAX levy
NIL...BELONER
UNDERNEWPLAN
True and Actual Valuation Of
4 Property Will Greatly
III. Reduce Levies.

heuuCe LeVl6S'
The efforts Of W. S. Hallanan,
state tax commissioner. TO equalize
the tax burdens In the state have
ibeen vindicated by information
compiled by the assessors of Ma
rion, Kannwha and Cabell 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 be so cents or less.
according to an announcement
made by q. +. Davis. city director
in charge OF finance. Last year
$250,00O was raised to cover the
Operating costs OF the city for the
fiscal year. The assessed valug.
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.
ser announced today that the as.
ssessed valuation for the city this
t;Iar under the true and actual
luation plan" inaugurated by
4 bmmissioner Hallanan would h.
100000 or moro. In arriving at
tins conclusion, Assessor Syringe"
Gays that the valuation of the real
estate In tho municipality will he
Increased 100 per cent or more
that the personal property will re-
main about the same and that a
good increase is assured from the
public service corporations.
With an assessed valuation CT
N1,000,000, II the city directors
follow ont the plan recommended
BY Director Davis. which is to keep
herunning expenses Of the city at
s250s000 for the coming year, the
levy will be fifty cents on the on"
hundred dollar valuation. Direc.
Itor Davis says that with the cost
OF everything coming down some,
S250,000 next year will be equiva.
lent to $275,000 this year and there
fore by keeping the amount to be
Appropriated for the next fiscal
year the same as last II 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
$4,000 in the appropriation this
year making the amount TO bN
raised by taxes $275.OO0. II this
plan is carried out. II will mean a
slight Increase in taxes over last
year and levy slightly higher
than so cents on the dollar. Direc.
tor Arnett iavors a slight increase
in keeping with the growth Of thu
city. Mayor Conway who com
pletes the board has not announced
which Of the plans he will favor or
whether he has some plan of his
own to present or not.
The rate at Huntington last year
was 1904 on the 800 valuation and
this year 1t will be $1.40, according
to an announcement made by the
assessor a few days ago. a. r.
Shepherd, assessor Of Hanawha
County, said the rate in Charleston
will be about $1.23 on the 500 val
.uation. reduction Of moro than
eG6yper cent over last year. In case
the expenditures OF any municipai-
lity prove at all excessive. the tax
1 commissioner will decline to ap
prove the levies.
In discussing the assessing OF all
the real estate IN tho county at its
true ami actual value. Assessor
, Springer says that the raal estate
in all municipalities III the county
Will increase 100 per cent or more
this year. A liberal increase in the
valuation OF all public service cor.
poratlors Is also promised in all
the municipalities so It Is highly
snossible that the increase In some
municipalities will be greater than
100 per cent.
Farmers Benefit.
OK In the rural and farm sections,
1.-THE increase will not be so marked
I4tssessos Springer says that most
As the farmers are paying all the
staxes now that it is possible for
Them to pay II they are to continue
cooperate their farms and make ex.
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 magistertal dis.
tricts also will he reduced proper.
tionatcly. The plan is to provide
ia maximum levy of s1.25 for dis.
kricts outside of Municipalities. but
Tin many districts It will be greatly
less than that. The average dis.
strict rate In 1921 was S1.9GS while
the average municipal rate was
S2.77N.
Valuation Uniform.
Estimates OF the amount ot mon.
ey which will he required TO con.
duct municipal and district affairs
show that not only can the rates
be reduced to $3.50 and $l.25. the
maximum fixed by Commissioner
Hallanan. but that thew can he
drought to point considerable
lower than that. These low rates
are made possible through the in.
screased assessed valuation pro-
gram which Is now in progress.
The valuation will be made uni.
form and basic in all counties. AMI