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2 Document No, 3. [Session
only iiDJust in itself, bnt creates dissatisfaction among the peo-ple,
and therefore, seriously hinders the administration of the
revenue laws, and should, if possible, be corrected. It is im-possible
to find a perfect remedy, but I am inclined to believe
that if tlie plans adopted in many Western States of having a
regular officer to make the assessments, with a salary large
enough to secure a first rate man, should be put in force here,
the business would be better done than in the present blunder-ing
way. This officer should report to the County Commis-sioners,
who should equalize the valuations of the several
Townships. They should forward an abstract thereof to this
department, whereupon a Board, say the Governor, Treasurer,
Auditor and Secretary of State, should be charged with tlie
duty of revising and equalizing the valuations of the counties.
In this way the monstrous ine<|uality of one county paying a
much larger sum to the State than its neighbor, on exactly tlie
same taxable property, ma_y be o'A-iated.
i<;XEMPTI0NS.
The General Assembly has power to exempt certain speci-fied
articles, the clause of the Constitution in tliis regard
being as follows : " Property belonging to the State or to
ULunicipal corporations, shall be exempt from taxation. The
General Assembly may exempt ccmetaries, and property held
for educational, scientific, literary, charitable or religious pur-poses
; also wearing apparel, arms for muster, household and
kitchen furniture, the mechanical and agricultural implement?
of mechanics and farmers, libraries and scientific instruments,
to a value not exceeding three hundred dollars."
Your honorable body exercised this power to the extent of
$300. I feel bound to report that in my opinion the charita-ble
intent of the Legislature has generally failed to accomplish
its object, while it has lost large sums to the Treasury.
Poor men have so small an amount of the exempted articles
tliat their relief is quite too inconsiderable. But very many
Object Description
Description
| Title | Page 34 |
| Full Text | 2 Document No, 3. [Session only iiDJust in itself, bnt creates dissatisfaction among the peo-ple, and therefore, seriously hinders the administration of the revenue laws, and should, if possible, be corrected. It is im-possible to find a perfect remedy, but I am inclined to believe that if tlie plans adopted in many Western States of having a regular officer to make the assessments, with a salary large enough to secure a first rate man, should be put in force here, the business would be better done than in the present blunder-ing way. This officer should report to the County Commis-sioners, who should equalize the valuations of the several Townships. They should forward an abstract thereof to this department, whereupon a Board, say the Governor, Treasurer, Auditor and Secretary of State, should be charged with tlie duty of revising and equalizing the valuations of the counties. In this way the monstrous ine<|uality of one county paying a much larger sum to the State than its neighbor, on exactly tlie same taxable property, ma_y be o'A-iated. i<;XEMPTI0NS. The General Assembly has power to exempt certain speci-fied articles, the clause of the Constitution in tliis regard being as follows : " Property belonging to the State or to ULunicipal corporations, shall be exempt from taxation. The General Assembly may exempt ccmetaries, and property held for educational, scientific, literary, charitable or religious pur-poses ; also wearing apparel, arms for muster, household and kitchen furniture, the mechanical and agricultural implement? of mechanics and farmers, libraries and scientific instruments, to a value not exceeding three hundred dollars." Your honorable body exercised this power to the extent of $300. I feel bound to report that in my opinion the charita-ble intent of the Legislature has generally failed to accomplish its object, while it has lost large sums to the Treasury. Poor men have so small an amount of the exempted articles tliat their relief is quite too inconsiderable. But very many |
