Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-06-28

Decrease OF Taxes he Burden 81
the Poor Iightened.
The CITY Council fixed the taxes iof
the current year, last evening, at rate
somewhat lower than that Of 1872, and
at rate which will raise an amount Of
money something less than called for by
the January appropriations. If Council
will pursue the policy on which this
action Is based, and really spend less
money than they thought in January
they would need, their action will prove
very gratifying to the people, but we
have always found that to raise less than
the estimates resulted in the formation OF
a floating debt. We shall be very glad in
deed If that does not prove 10 he the case
lu this sAsksnce.
The assessments are made this year
under the provisions Of the new laws
passed last winter, and are much simpler
and much more reasonable than they
have hitherto been. The city tax Is now
IS cents on the hundred, dollars, and
the school tax is % cents on the hundred
dollars, the two united making n tax OF
l per cent. This is considerably lower
than last year, but the value OF assessed
properly has increased two millions dur
ing the year, the total amount Of that
assessed being $25, 64s,9l6.
The most marked change has been
made In the manner of assessing school
tax, and the change is greatly for the
better. Under the old law, which seemed
to be based on the deaf poor people
and schools let them pay for them-there
was a most ingenious and complicated
arrangement for relieving property OF
burdens in this respect. The law au-
thorized the laying # direct tax of so
much Der cent. on the poll assessment Of
each citizen, and the same per centage
| on the interest of the assessed value Of
real estate. The result was, Of course,
to throw the great burden of the main
,enance of our public schools directly 10
lindividuals instead of in property. The
rate is new uniform and has been fixed
at % cents on the 500 Undtr the old
law, a man assessed ut $500 had to pay
50 school tax, which was inst equal tc
the school tax on 5000 of real estate
six per cent. on It's assessed value being
5000 and per cent. on that being SO.
The new law takes a great burden Of
Of those least able to hear it and puts q
on the land, where it ought to 20. 1t will
increase the gross amount of the taxes o.
one of our city's miTionaires some sixl!
dollars, while it will make such reduc
tious in the taxes OF working men al
this Under the old law the city aui
school tax Of laborcr in 1871 was $50
In 1873 il will he about~Sl.5O. A me
chauic's city and school tax in ls72 wa
$3.50. In 1873 il will be about e. 60 d
1852 man who was assessed as a Lahore
and who owned a house assessed q
, lei 900 paid slO.5l city and school tax
, in 1873 he will pay sll.5O. A man as
sessed as a mechanic who owned SlOC
r house in 1879 had TO pay $40 % tax, an
a this year they will pay but Si9.25 IA
h slight increase which the change maxi
n in the tax ON lis real estate beiu
more than overcome by the reduction q
J his poll tax. These taxes are not hig
# and those who attempt to make them al
l. pear 50, merely demonstrate their oW
II ignorance OF the customary rate Of nun
ie cipal taxation. A tax Of only rer eel
p would he hailed as foretsst- Of HrLv,
H. by the citizens Of New York or Phil
le delphia.