The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-13
AN OPEN LETTER

Hon. A. J. Maxwell,
Commissioner OF Revenue,
Raleigh, North Carolina
dear MI. Maxwell:
With further reference to our
conversation Of last Sunday eve.
ing regarding the report Of YOU
department on 1888 sales tax col.
lections, I am enclosing herewith
a schedule showing reports Of col
lections from each county for tn,
fiscal years 1933-34 to 1883, ex
cept for the year 1898, when NJ
report was made public by YOU
department.
You stated to me that you were
confident that the report issued fo1
1883 gave proper consideration tc
the various counties for sales tai
collections paid through chain store
headquarters located in Mecklen.
burg. I believe that a careful ex-
animation Of the figures set forth
in the enclosed schedule should
raise a serious doubt in your MIND
as to the accuracy Of the 1885
report.
Your total collections from thu
entire state for 1883 were $37s,.
$1,000 less than total collections re.
ported in 1861, yet the report
for Mecklenburg county credits II
with sales tax payments Of more
than fifty per cent increase owe,
payments from that county in 1896.
81. Do you really believe that re.
tail sales in Mecklenburg increased
better than so per cent in 1888.
over the prosperous year OIL
1867?
Your report indicates a S Der
cent decline Of sales in Guilford. q
IA per cent decline In Forsyth, a
decline Of $4,000 in Wake, about
10 per cent decline in Buncombe
and yet an increase Of more than
so per cent in Mecklenburg. Are
you positive that those figures are
accurate?
Your report indicates that For.
syth county, with a population
fairly comparable to that of Neck.
lenburg, paid about one half the
sales tax Of Mecklenburg, while
Guilford county, with a population
exceeding that of Mecklerburg,
with assessed tax values and auto.
mobile registrations ex eedins
those Of Mecklenburg, paid $319,59O
less in sales taxes than did Neck.
lenburg. And this in the face of
your corrected or revised report for
1867 which showed Guilford ex.
ceeded Mecklenburg in the payment
OF sales taxes by almost $500, 600. 90.
Do you think it strange Of us to
doubt the accuracy Of such a re.
port?
Another chain store center Is 10.
Gated in Henderson, in Vance coun.
ty. 1t might be pertinent to point
out that while sales tax collections
are reported to have declined in
most Of the other counties Of the
state, Vance county is credited
with an increase OF 10 per cent over
collections in 1867. Isn't it a
queer coincidence that Mecklen-
burg shows a SO per cen increase
and Vance a 10 per cent increase
while most other counties are cred.
tied with a loss?
In former years, the ALLEGATION of
sales tax collections to counties Of
origin has been made only after
protest to your department. 1t
seems to me that it would be much
better not to submit any report of
such collections unless the same be
accurate and fair. Insomuch as a
report which Is obviously inaccurate
has been issued, much damage will
result unless that report is correct.
ed.
I know that you did not make this
report and must Of necessity de.
pend upon others in a matter Of
this nature. Nevertheless, you get
full credit If an injustice results
and for that reason I urgently re-
quest that you make a personal in
vestigation.
With kindest regards and all
good wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Andrew Joyner
General Manager.
GreenShoro Nouc rompon1,