The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1858-11-06
County + ina,ltrs.
10 the Citizens and Taxpayers

OF CECIL COUNTY.
THNIIE County Commissioners, following
Il the precedent established by our prcde-
cessors, and believing such statement to
be demanded by public sentiment, respect
fully submit in addition to the &c Analysis of
the Levy List for 1885, recently published,
the following Report; which is rendered the
more necessary at the present time, when,
owing to the monetary difficulties of the
times and the consequent depression in bust
ness affairs, the present high rate of taxation
is peculiarly burdensome.
On entering upon the duties Of our office,
in December, last, we saw the necessity, IN
view of the then existing and wide spread
financial crisis, for the exercise Of IL rigid
economy in the administration Of the bust
ness OF the county, and in pursuance of the
determination then formed, to grant only
such applications for special appropriations
us were imperatiycly demanded, we have
been compelled to reject. for the present, a
number of Applications in favor Of objects
which, AZ another time and under other and
more favorable circumstances. financially
would have been entitled to a different dis
position. Keeping in view the above men
TONED determination, we succeeded, not =
outstanding an unusual and pressing demand
for special appropriations for roads and
bridges, in various localities, in reducing
the levy for such items to three thousand :,
eight hundred dollars (S3 ,S0O) less than the
average amount for the same items levied in
1856 and 1857. Had we granted all the APP
plications OF this character made, it would
have required the levy OF as large sum Tor
these purposes as was made in 1856, (Which
was six thousand dollars more than is levied
the present Year,. and would have made the
r.lt, it n,,tI fay Il ,,p
the SlO0.
Our convictions of the necessity for re-
trcnchment, however, could only be Of ser
vice in influencing our action with regard to
those items Of the Levy over which we have
control. The expenses Of the Circuit Court
expenses incident to Courts and Criminal
Prosecutions, expenses of Elections, Or
phans' Court, Inquisitons, &c. &C., the
fees and allowances for all which are fixed
by law, were beyond the reach Of such in
tlucnccs. These expenses We have but to
provide for according to the face Of the
returns sent us.
1t will be seen by a comparison of the
IS Statements of the Levy" for 1856 and
1887, with the :. Analysis of the Levy"
for 1853, that the levy Of the present year
for the first three items named above. cX-
cccds that of 1857 by the sum of SIS ,O25 90,
thus making an average excess for 1858 over
the two previous years of So ,S95, in these
three items alone. This average would be
larger were the basis Of comparison enlarged,
the expenses referred to being heavier than
usual in 1856
In addition to this unusual sum. and alike
beyond GU: control, there is included in the
Levy the appraised valuation of slave,
convicted in the Circuit Court aud sentenced
to Imprisonment in the Peniteniary, VIZ ::
$3.50. This levy is prescribed by Act of
Assembly, which places the matter entirely
beyond the control Of County Commissioners.
The amount stated in the :. Analy sis, -
under the head OF g Expenses for Roads and
Bridges incurred prior to 1883 and now pro-
v!dcd tor," is composed Of items equally
remote from our control Some Of the
accounts for work on roads we had occasion
to examine and pass upon, hnt the work done
having been ordered either by our prcdccc s.
sors, or the Road Supervisors Of the county.
principally 10y the latter), we had no choice
but to provide for the payment Of them.
The balances due on bridge contracts,
and to pay Road Supervisors of 1857, both
included under the same head in the
Analysis with the items referred to above:
were Of similar character. Finding them to
be due on our coming into office, and having
no doubt the county had received an equiva-
lent under the careful contracts and Jealous
supervision Of our predecessors, We had but
to provide for their payment. These items
amount, us per the Analysis, to S3Sl2.
OF the amounts levied under the head of
90 Expenses for New Roads," $3.50, as da-
IMAGES for land and fencing, was ordered for
levy by our predecessors, and $500, for open
ing roads located before we came into office,
was rendered necessary to be provided for
by us. These items, amounting to 81 ,O50,
we are in no wise responsible for.
There is, therefore, included in this years
levy the following sums that are either en-
trely unusual, or in regard to the levy OF
which we could exercise no discretion, viz
The average excess ofeXpenses
of Circuit Court, expenses in
cidcnt to courts and criminal o., %, m
prosecutions, and expenses of w
elections over the years 1856
and 1857,
The valuation of slave sent to e.o nm
the Pcntentary,
The amounts provided for this
year to pay for work on roads,