Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-03-21
SOUND logic FRoM A TAx.PAYER.

EDITOR JouRNAL:-Our County Com
missioners and others claim great credit
for themselves, and saving to the tax
payers by negotiating the bonds Of the
county and paying cash for constructing
certain ditohes throughout the county
They contend that they can get the work
done for less money than by issueing
bonds ts the contractors. Leaving out Of
the question the heavy commission paid
to the Bond Brokers, It may be all right
US far as.the Commissioners and contract
ors are concerned, but docs this make il
less burdensome to the taxpayers? /
think not, for the reason that the bonds
are sold after the estimated costs are as.
sessed upon the lands claimed to he bene-
flied thereby and the amounts thus as
scssed entered upon the tax duplicate for
collection
The same is true ns to other bitches aud
improved roads. 1t matters not how
cheaply the work is done, the taxpayer
is not benefited thereby. For instance,
the engineers estimate for road or ditch
may he, aud frequently is from eighteen
TO twenty-five cents per cubic yard, and
the same is generally sold on an average
of one-ha'f Of the estimated cost, but the
full amount OF the estimate, aud in the
case of improved roudS the 20 per cent.
additional allowed by law to he added at
the discretion of the Commissioners is
frequently included aud the full amount
collected from the lands assessed. | cant
see where the benefit to the taxpayer
comes in. But the taxpayers naturally
wish to know what becomes of tile balance
after the contractor is paid for his labor.
think that | can account for at least
part Of it. A large part is absorbed by
paying excessive rates for the necessary
printing, and by frequently employing in
competent persons rs engineers on the
work and allowing them from 80 to 80 per
cent. more than is paid for the same Glars
of labor by railroad companies and other
to competent engineers who have had
large experience in their profession.
The fact is, unless the officials who are
entrusted with The execution of our i'm
proved road and ditch laws are actuated
by priRilles of puIlic economy and 4
proper regard for the interests OF tn K payer,
who are effected by the the provisions OF
these laws, so long will they prove instru
ments Of injustice and oppression to the
already overlaxed people of this county.
noticed in the Sentinel Of March 18Th
an attempt of that paper to set forth the
various needs Of our people. Among those
enumerated are lighter taxes" and
"more and better drainage for our lands
1 am surprised at the want of logic dis
played in that attempt of the Sentinel
1t is on account of the zeal displayed by
our County Commissioners to drain the
county that raised taxes almost beyond
the point OF endurance and has driven
many people to the verge of bankruptcy
1t is a matter of some doubt which viii
be drained soonest, the county or the re-
sources of the people who inhabit it.
AS to the need of I" less lhigation," the
same measures that are necessary to light.
en- our taxes will remove most of the
causes that lead to lawsuits, namely: Hon
esty and an enlightened judgement and
economy in the administration of oul
county and township affairs.
In conclusion | will say that the Sentine
should have added one more to its list OF
needs, and although this need is OF per.
sonal nature, it is very necessary that II
should be supplied in order to make it tc
set forth our public needs in more logi
cal and intelligent manner, namely:
need of more brains and better judgement
in the editorial management OF tha
paper.
TAXPAYER.
| Troy twp. March II. 1879.