The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-03-27
SUBSTANTIAL PROPERTY TAX
REDUCTION TO BE FEATURE
OF ASSEMBLIES ACHIEVEMENT
Regarded as Certain Large
Communities Can't Have
Extra Month of School
By HENRY LESESNE
The TimeS-NewS Bureau
Sir Walter Hotel

SIR waiter hOtc!
RALEIGH. March 81. - The
greatest single demand that con-
when it convened here nearly
three months ago was for q re-
duction Of taxes on property, and
when the lawmakers adjourn sine
die, probably three weeks hence,
they will have substantially re-
duccd the property tax burden, a
survey Of the legislative records
reveals.
Topping everything. of course,
is the abolition Of the l5-ccnt ad
valorem tax on property which
was imposed by the 1881 session
after it failed to get together on
some other means of taxation.
Approximately $4,000,000 was
collected from this source last
year. The imposition Of this tax
two years ago was at best the re-
suit Of .patchcd-up job, and both
political parties pledged them
selves 70 it's removal last fall.
At one time during the present
session there was some talk
among certain members Of the as
Sembly Of the advisability Of 60
ing back on their pledge and re-
tanning the al valorem tax. but
both houses are now on record as
being opposed to the retention of
this form of tax, and since 1t
alone could not balance the bud
get, on the basis of present con-
templated appropriations, it Is
now pretty well conceded that the
legislature is headed for some
sort of sales tax.
Present indications are that
tax relief will come principally
from this source and from the
abolition of the special school dis
trict levies of about S4,S00,OOO
! The removal Of the latter levies,
however, is contingent upon the
adoption Of an eight months uni
I form ,state-Supported school term.
The eight month school prOpon-
ents claim that an eight months
term can be operated by the state
at about 81, 100000 or $2,000,0OO
more than it is now contemplated
to spend on six months term,
and that all Of these special dis
trict levies can be abolished.
However, while there is large
group of members of the general
assembly which contends that the
school child in the smaller coun-
ties should have the same oppOr-
tunities as the school child in the
larger counties, and that the spe-
cial districts should not be al
| lowed to impose an additional tax
! for an extra month, bringing the
school term TO nine months, it IS
now regarded as certain here that
an eight months school bill cam
not be put through with provi-
sion permitting the larger cities
in the state to run nine months,
and pa for the extra month
! themselves.
The policy that the present gen.
eral assembly will take in the
matter of property revaluation Is
uncertain at the present time, but
| in no case can this result in a
substantial reduction in taxes.
The senate has voted to leave it
optional with the county commits
! sioners whether to reassesS prop
erty or to make horizontal re-
duction, the reduction in neither
case to exceed 33 1-3 per cent,
while the house voted not to I'M
pose any limit, and the matter
now is being ironed out in confer
| ence.
1t is estimated that a 33 1-3
per cent reduction would bring
property valuation in North Caro-
lima down to around 100000,
but it is pointed out that the
counties are now running on a
rock-bottom basis, and to meet
their obligations, taxes would
have to be raised to cover what
ever reduction in valuation is
made, and that no substantial tax
relief can come from this source,
except perhaps to eliminate GER
tain existing inequalities.
| On the other hand, it is be-
Continued on page four)