The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-03-07
Local Taxcs-Towr Hail.


Who levied tax of nearly $4,000, tc
build a town hall for Ravenna! = Portag:
Sentinel
The Democrat ~ in long article upon
taxation, takes us to task for yenturing to
ask the question above quoted. 1t will be
remembered that when we asked this ques-
9ion, it was not with view Of finding fault
with local officers, but simply to show that
local officers have levied heavy taxes. Our
opponent had claimed that county officers
and commissioners were chargeabIc with all
our burthsnS, and in reply to this, we asked
sthe question which has caused him so much
anxiety. By making an attempt to defend
the trustees of the township, he admits tina,
our local taxation is grevious, and by his ar.
ticle only serves to draw public attention
more directly to the proceedings Of loca
authorities. For all this, we tende, our
than Re.
For the satisfaction Of those interested,
We will give very brief history of the town
hall. In 1861, tax of $l,4S6 81 was lev
led fer the purpose of erecting this building.
WIN. PITMAN, JACOB 5roUGH, Jr., and ETHAN
A. BABcocK, (Democrats) were trustees
, They purchased one lot of ground for $775.
This they afterwards sold for $S30-making
$65, by the bargain. They then purchased
another lot for about $4OO. Upon this lot
e they proposed to build hall two stories
high, with convenient office rooms, &c,
: which could be rented, and as consequence
would be a constant source of revenue to
the township. This plan was heartily ap-
proved by many of all parties, and no man
approved it more highly than JOHN S. HER
RICK, one fthe editors of the Democrat.
"A hall such as they proposed to build,
would have cost (according to the estimate
of good mechanics,) about $3,500--and in
no case, could have exceeded $4,000. 1t
would have rented for from $500 to 500, per
year, which would certainly be good in
avestment for the township.
40 The next year, new trustees were elected.
They discarded the design of the old trustees
and adopted the present onc-a plan, GER
tainly, not very remarkable for beauty or
profit. After expending the sum first levied,
(Si,4S6 6i3 they, in order to complete the
structure, borrowed money, from divers per-
sons, paying interest at the rate of ten per
cent. In 1854, tax of $4,000, (besides
special school tax was levied, for township
purposes. Twenty-Five hundred dollars of
this tax was raised to pay the debts incurred
On building the tovn hall. This levy has
also been exhausted, and there is still "a debt
Of more than $500 unpaid.
We have then the following items Of tax
levied for tho purpose of building a town
hall:
Tax levied in 1851, sl4se 81
Tag e. Levied Vie, in 1854 to pay debts created in .
8 Tax yet to bs leviedfor same purpose, 500 90
"a TOssi4srtown hall, si7ss 81
2 This makes Four THOUSAND SEVEN Hun
DRED AND EIGHrE-sIx DOLLARS AND SIXTY
ONE CENTS, as the amount levied and yet to
be levied, for the purpose Of building town
ha Il in Ravenna.
SES We had supposed, until within few days,
that all the debts incurred in building the
hall were cancelled. In this we were in
error. '''The taxpayers of Ravenna town.
ship, have the consolation of knowing that
there is yet due the sum of about $500, to
be paid by them the coming year.
70 But it is claimed that the Hall did not
cost the people as much as these amounts
levied, and that this large levy, is in conse-
quenoe of the refusal of the Bank to pay its
share of the taxes. This is not getting rid
ofthe difficulty, but only covering it up by
another still more difficult to explain or de-
ferd. The farmers aud mechanics have had
TO pay their proportion Of $4,7oo, just as
tnpch as if the town hall actually cost that
: sum. F7@2'7@ sf *-
-4stl If the Democrats had been permitted to
carr out their principles, the Bank would
have been compelled to pay its taxes. As 1t
is, II defes taxation and defes the people. -
1t stands as monument of the misrule and
corruption of the opponents of the Demo-
cratic party. No principle is dearer to a
genuine Democrat than that of i" equal tax
'tiOh," but the practical motto Of our .oppo-
nents is " privileges to the few and burtbens
for the many
n making the foregoing statement of
facts, we have consulted the township rec
ord, which was furnished US through the
kindness Of the Clerk, DIR. GRtFFIS.
From this record, we prove beyond question.
that more than $4,700---or in other words,
t'saearIy $4,000" Of tax has been and is to
helieyied 70 build a-town ball in Ravenna.
This lewis made BY local officers. and each
farmer and mechanic in the township is com.
PEELED 10 pay his fall proportion. Of this
amoaRt. What the. bank has refused to pay,
has to be made up from the pockets OF those
whese brssd i purchased BY their daily toll.