The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-05-15
WRIGHT WOULD LIMIT
. TAX RATES OF COUNTIES
CONSTANT INCREASE is CIT
ED BY cONTROLLER-GEN-
ERAL AS GROWING EVIL.
PRESENT SYSTEM PERNICIOUS
Piles Burden on People for Local
Purposes While the State Suffers.
Makes Important Recommendations
To the Legislature.

ATLANTA, Ga.-Limitation of the
tax rates of counties is strongly 'rec-
commended by William A. Wright,
comptroller general of Georgia, in his
annual report to the governor cover
ing the fiscal year 1922, which was
made public Saturday.
On this subject Comptroller Wright
says:
"While the state tax rate is limited
to FIVE mills there is no limitation on
the rate which may be levied by
counties. Thus when additional reve-
nue. is required by county the tax
rate is increased instead of the assess
ment of property. By this method the
county raises the additional revenue
needed without giving the state the
benefit of the slightest increase in
revenue.
IF this system is permitted to con-
tinue the state will be starved while
the counties can raise what they de-
sire. If you will refer to table No. l
of this report you will note that the
average county rate in 1900 was Sol
IA mills.
q am informed that bill will be.
introduced at the approaching ses-
sion of the legislature to limit the
amount of the county levy. | earnestly
recommend the passage of some leg
islation looking to the correction OF
this growing evil"
Much Discussed.
This popularity of Georgia's tax
system as here pointed out by Comp
troller Wright has been the subject
of much discussion both in and out
of the Legislature in recent years. Up
to 1908 the state tax rate was not linn
tied. The rate went up as the appro-
priations of the legislature went up,
and went down as appropriations
went down. The limitation of the rate
to five mills has had the effect, as
Comptroller Wright points out, of
constantly cramping the state Tor
funds.
Regarding the tax revision, Comp
troller Wright states in his report that
he is opposed to abolishing the ad
valorem system. This was the posi-
ton he took in 1919, he points out,
when it was proposed to substitute
a system of segregating and classify
ing property in place of the ad valo-
rem and uniformity system.
Since making that recommended
ton" he says in his report, 81 have
given much thought and study to the
subject and am more strongly con-
WINGED than ever that were the ma
chinery recommended for the new
system applied to the existing system
OF taxation it would accomplish bet
ter results without the destruction of
the ysstem which has been success
fully in operation since the adoption
of the constitution of 1877"
Small Balance Shown.
The report shows an excess of the
estimated revenue for 1928 over ap-
preparations of $248, 1896, the total
estimated revenue for the year being
SO, 538,31o26 and the appropriations
totaling $9,2S9926. The balance in the
treasury JAN /, 1928, is shown to have
been $1,633,132 The estimate of
income is based upon the 1922 valua-
tons.
The value of the property on the
tax digests of the state has increased
from $238,934,126 to $1,027 ,784,721, or
approximately 430 per cent during the
period since 1880, according to a table
prepared by Gen. Wright while that
of public service corporations has in
creased approximately 1878 per cent
during the same period. The value Of
public service corporations Z, has in
creased from $12,490,525 in 1880 to
$164,975,361, it is stated.