, 1859-02-22
A Talk with Chicago Taxpayers
In Ohio and Eastern States, property is a

sessed at its eash palue for taxation. Wien
We hear Of the people of Cincinnati, New
York and Boston paying dvc-eighths or twelve
mills for municipal purposes, it means thai
each man is assessed that per cent. Oh the
actual cash value Of all his property-real
and personal, moneys and credits. In this city
property Is only valued at q small fraction oi
what the owners would sell it for. The cash
value Of real and personal property is more
than tire tises the assessmcnt. Hence, whc,
We talk about TAXATION Of twelve mills ON
the dollar VIC really mean but .1oxr mills on thc
cash valuc Of each mans property.
The aggregate value Of the properly Of
Chicago is put down on tue tax books ut only
thirty xix millions Of doIlare. If it were as
seased BY the Ohio, New York, or Massachr-
setts rule tie aggregate would exceed or
HUNDRED and ttpcaty sailIon1, or more than three
times the assessment put upon it.
The reason tor this undcr-valuat lou is to
save the city frem having to pay more than
her due sLare Of State taxation. Property
in the various counties Is assessed far b:!uw
its actual worth. Farms worth forty dollars
per acre arc put down by the Assessors At
ten, and houses worth $4,000 are a&scss-d at
$500. II property in Chicago were assessed
at ita full value, our people would be obliged
to pay quaaruplc their due proportion Of
State taxee. Many Of our citizens who hare
come from Eastern Suites, may not have been
aware of these facts.
The municipal taxes leried for 1858 wero
eleven mills {unl inside Of the lamp district
Is milIs), which on cash valuation would
I've equivalent to thrce and two.tl,rl 1nill:,
and including tue lamp districts, will average
four mills. This is a lower rate Of taxation
than is levied in any considerable city in tic
United States. We assert, without lear Of
contradiction, that no other municipal gov.
crnment in the United States, containing
100000 inhabitants and upwards, is main-
taiaed On four mills tax. Wc want those
who are grum',Iing about their taxes being
high, to bear in mird the fact just stated.
II tue floating debt Of Chicago WIS paid
Oh, and the government could get an unin-
numbered Start, len mills on the present
basis, OF three on cash valuation, would
suffice to carry on the city government, and
replace tie worn-out bridges, maintain paid
steam fire department, build capacious
school house each year, keep up the reform
school, pay the interest On the sewerage
bonds aud funded debt, and create sinking
fund TO liquidate the funded indebtcdncs.,
and keep all city property in good condition.
IL there are any persons who expect that all
this eau bc done on less than the rntc Of taxa-
ton We hare named, they belong to the class
OF chronic grumblers who never know when
they arc we'll served. We have gone cure
fully over the expenditures Of this admins
tration and tiul that, after deducting what it
has had 10 pay to complete old contracts und
1iquidate old debts, including interest there
on-its own proper expcnrcs for all purposes,
have not, with its rents, fines, and licenses,
exceeded tue proceeds Of ten mills tax
which is only three mills on the fair cath
value Of the property Of our citizens, or one-
third of one per cent. thereon. What reason.
able, fau'mfndcd man can iiud fault with this
rate OF taxation in young and growing city
like Chicago: Surely he will Iot better him
felf By voting to restore party which de-
Foured the proceeds Of fourteen mills of tag
alton, and ran tue city behind more tLan
quarter Of million Of dollars in single
year. Put back tue ta1.eatcrs into The Curt
House and farewell to all ideas Of retreucL-
snent, economy, md low taxatior. It is q
safe rulc TO let well enough alone.