Milford chronicle., 1883-01-19

DEAR SIR; Being questioned IN regard to the
reasons for the changes contemplated by the
State Grange. in the petition II is about to present
10 the Legislature. have written them out full
/ ~ and viii request their publication by you, as
this is a matter Of general interest
| Worthy Brother: Yours asking information ia
regard to the petition to amerd the school law.
received The matter was brought up in the
State Grange after you left, and endorsed by it,
The object is to get a more just and equitable
law; we look upon the present law as bearing
very unequally upon the citizens. What we mean
by collecting the taxes as other taxes are collect
ed. is that percentage shall be fixed upon the
entire assessment of the county, sufficient TO
-Ovington e g8enis fbr schools. and the
cover tue rcquno...=..ao Iset~ovo1 l---G~,
county collectors shall collect the tax with other
taxes Of the county. The Levy Court, or some
other authorized body. would have to determine
the amount. Il would then be apporiioned TO
the several schools as was just. and they re-
auired. This would do away with the districts
determining, each year. what amount of money
they would raise for school purposes, and assess
every district in the county in equal proportion,
It cannot be denied that we are all equally in
lerested in having good schools, and should all
be equally taxed for their support. Now tor the
inequality OF the present law.
1st. Il assesses the man with SO 900 worth Of
real estate. say rental per cent, on that, 5000.
If you lay one dollar on the hundred, it makes
that mans tax six dollars per year. Nov take
the man who has 81 OOs worth Of live stock, it is
assessed at $1,000. and he paying one dollar on
the hundred pays SO year. Can there be any
justice in making the man who is worth $1,000
pay more than the one worth ten times as much'
Yet that is just the case under our present law;
as it now stands, man may hold sl6,666, and
not be required to pay more school tax than the
nan who ownes $1,000 worth of live stock, if you
will take the trouble to examine the assessment
OF live stock in our State. think you will fiud it
Is paying far more school taxes than all the real
estate, especially if you go out OF the cities.
And. man who holds 500 600 worth of Rail- |
road stock, Bank stock, or bombs or mortgages, |
has no school tax to pay on it, while il man put
one dollar in live stock il is assessed to its whole
value.
srd. The inequality that exists in adjoining |
SCHOOL AlstIacAat 10 ullu9tl aA ~ 10 nAA 1NeotS'~
by the circumstances surrounding the district.
know Of cases where stock is assessed as high |
again in one district as in another, OWING to the
lact that there Is a large amount Of stock in one
and a small in the other; you have so much
raise, and if you have large number
Of stock to make the assessment upon, OF course
YOU make the rates lower; and horses, for IN
stance, pay 25 cents in one district, and SO cents
in another; that is not just; the same class Of
stock ought to pay the same tax everywhere for
the same purpose.
4th. Take two farms of 100 acres each one
man farms his as a grain farm and keeps
-Four horses, worth, say 500 each 8lOO,
Eight COWS, worth $50 each, $500,
The land being worth $4,000
s1O8oO.
Rental value $500.
School tax levied on s1loo, at 500 per hun.
dred s14.eO.
Another man takes same quantity Of land for
dairy purposes s,-,.l.lii- s
Rental on same -,...t.,~ 'soJU.
Keeps four horses, Worth slOO
Keeps twenty five COWS worth s125O.
s225O.
The amourG Of his tax is $3.50. Now this
last man has only $3.50 more property than the
first yet bis school taxes are more than one third
higher Now my Worthy Bro. cannot you see
enough Injustice in tue present school law to
help us put It right! that is what we are all
striving for. am large real estate holder, still
I advocate tue amending Of the school law, and
hope we shall have the cooperation of you and
your Grange, as that is the motto Of the Grange,
equal justice 10 all. Yours iraternally.
D,