Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-12-23
Rsform the civil SERVICE at Home

few days since the Cincinnati Gazette pub
Iished a statement showing the enormous bur
dens of local taxation in many cities and towns
Of this State. In its ssue Of the 10Th inst, the
Gas.te refers again to the matter in the follow
ing emphatic terms. BY applying these re-
mIIks to matters nearer home the citizens Of
Wood county will find more Of truth than po-
e:ry:'
The statements published in the Gdscite, showing
the rates Of local taxation in tue several cities OF
Ohio. are attracting general attention, and bring
ing the people to consider the chief cause Of the
burdens they are compelled To bear. This was
the object of the publication. We suppose il
safe Tn say that twenty five per cent. Of the mon.
ey collected from the people Of Ohio, for local
purposes, is wasted or stolen and this because
mn inferier class Of men, generally, are elected
t. fill local Offices. By showing the people what
they lose by this course the evil may be correct
cd No city or town can sfJrd to levy tax of
from to 4 per cent. Such a tax dwarfs indus
Try by running business men and forcing manu-
facturers to seek location where they are not
thus robbed.
The entrance Of Mr.. KELLEY, the recently elect
ed Commissioner, on the performance Of his Of
fetal duties, will afford the B1ard a suitable op-
portunity, for reviewing their past action, and
b. alike creditable to themselves and the county
by such proceedings we may anticipate ami o.
teligent action in planning public works and
rigid economy in their execution. As II is, very
much diIcredit attaches to this csunty from the
exorbitant taxes which have been too frequently
levied 10 meet the demands tor executing pub
lie work. We have. cases at point in which the
Taxpayers have been charged for public in-
provements made in proximity with their pr1p-
syty, from too to three hundred per cent. more than
Ihe work was worth. 1t is very evident that a
great wrong exists somewhere, and il is equally
evident that it should be corrected.
We are reluctant to believe that such extor-
tiGnate charges originate from corrupt action
and II is equally disaGreeabe to conclude that
SLey ara the consequences of official iucOmp eten
sy. From whatever source this state OF things
may originate, IL is quite evident that their cor
Section ia promptly demanded.
The honor OF the Republican party which has
ia9essed the county officers with official power,
tks Eedit of Wood county In this and in other
Sttes,. the well being Of those who are bur
dened with, she taxes the interest OF each and all
demand the. eorreet ion of such abuses.
The credit Of Wood county ought N be on
par with that Of tbehes, managed counties In thlt
State, or any other State. 1t is bata short time
since authority was obtained by an especial ac'
Of the Legislature for leVyhR an extra TAX
amounting to several thousands Of dollars foF
li1udating the accumulated deficiencies. The
use Of that fund, combined with ordinary official
capacity, should, in justice, have kept the county
orders Of all clases at their par value. But wha'
are the facts The county finances are neariy y
In as bad a condition az ever. County orders
are Seing shaved, at this time, by certain cold
blOoded, unserupuluus spectators, at discount
in some instances OF so per cent. Ia this man
nsr the poor man who pays taxes, aud he who
lsslds Osr county obligations are alike pllleFed-
In tusties, thea, toSAe taKpay ers, for the cred
II 1ud tonor Of lbe Republican party in the
county, we urge the Commissioners, together
with the County Auditor, TO adopt Prens't aud
decisive measures by which u'eAus those grOS-
ipS ey ib may be corrected