South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-12
CLAIM IGNORANCE
OF REAL FACT Is
BASIS OF ACTION
Committee Tells Board Coun-
~ Will Fight Assessment
Boost To Limit.

The frs, round in ths fight be-
tween =. Joseph county and the
state. 10 prevent an increase 90 the
land assessment IN this county by
S%.6oo.Ooo ended yesterday when a
committee OF i've South Bend men
appeared before The state tax com
mission and after presenting their
case told that body that the people
OF this county we're firmly behind
the St Joseph board 81 review and
would fight the case 20 the limit.
should an unfsvorable decision he
rendered
There VIII be no definite an
nouncement before Monday corr
corning the verd.cr or the state
board The state tax commission
viii end their session that day snd
81 e expected that decision on
all county cases will then be rem
dered
The South Bend committee. COM
posed Of r II. Morris repuhlicsr
county chairman. Clarence SedE-
wick county auditor. Fred " Ke'-
-N- AttfI -Ate ft NH..'|. EA..t'Nl
son. Frank 7. Green. manager o.
the Chamber or Commerce. and T..
" Hammond city attorney. togeth.
O. with William ATcInerny. who
represented a group OF heavy tax
PAYERS. presented county's case ir an
hours session with the state board
Show Injustice.
According 20 members 90 the
committee. the Indianapolis OFF,
cials are putting south BEND on the
same taI-paying basis with Fort
Wayne The state board or asses
ors have placed fun credence I'm
the reports concerning South Bend
era Of prosperity and are bas'ur
their increased valuation on these
reports
The local committee i'm presenting
their case before the state offlcia's
brought out the fact that though
the population or South BEND had
increased approximately $4,000 per
sons since the 1920 census. this lid
not necessarily mean that cond'-
lions here were such that any r-
crease IN tho tax assassin ent- was
jUstifiable. They emphasized th~
fact that az the present time Twins
conditions in this city were more
I than congested. that though the
/ building and land expansion boon
( had just started. the additional tax
/ a assessment would prove a hindrance
10 further progress.
Ask Square Deal
The ST. Joseph county committee
then asked that the state board de-
fer any additional assessments until
the next appraisement was due. This
they said would give opportunie time
for the present expansion drive more
10 boom and would be fair and
square 10 the people OF the county
Members Of ehe committee said
that when the last appraisment was
made. property in the central buei-
ness district OF the city. notably ou
Michigan, Main and Lafayette streets
had been Increased in assessment
approximately Il percent This adj
ditional 10 percent increase which
the local board Is lighting. would pur
the increase 20 over the so percent
mark. a percentage which IS regard
ed az q great injustice by ST. Joseph
county citizens.
After presenting their case The
MEMBERS OF the local committee in-
formed the board that tho people
OF St. Joseph county were backiua
them 70 the limit and would fght th.
case 20 the last OF the board should
announce decision unfavorabie ed,
the county
The leaders in the fight againr the
81, 900. 900 increase yesterday were
Mr.. McInery, Nj SedEvi ok. ti.E
Attorney Hammond and Mr. Green
each Of whom presented var.'H-
( phases OF the question 20 the @
board OF assessors.
State Wide Opposition.
Although the state oncials have
given no inkling as 90 what their de.
cision IN the case would be. report
| from the state capital. and news
paper accounts giving interview
with the state assessors. would indl-
( cate that that board is equally de
/ termined that the assessment IN
( creases viii stand.
The committee from sSt- Joseph
county was not however. the only
group % appear before the assessors
Yesterday IN an effort 20 stay tie
/ Increase orders Members OF boards
| OF review. with tax payers from
Huntington. Fountain and Decatur
counties. pleaded the-s cases 5efort
: the state board OF tax Commissioners
T. developed yesterday that t--
recent valuation increase order rs
rapidly assuming statewide propCr-
lions. when reports were received
announcing the fact that more coun-
ties were coming in lire 20 hght che
/ increases The Deleware county
board OF review has refused % cor
slider the increase and has asked that
the state tax comm ssloners recon-
slider their request. The Jrnnilr-
county board hae fa-ly refused ro
4 accept the new figures and has an
nounced that II VIII fight me stste
20 the limit
Faystts and Hamilton counties
have approved he Increases ordered
IN hteir districts. although such In
creases were relatively small.