The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-03-10
.j.oa,i,acs Bainrors CeHniy Taioa.
COUNTY FINANCIAL MATTERS.


M,..r.. Ediiors In about sx weeks from this
tune the County Commissioners will make cut the
lew for l.s3. How ua1sh will IL be and what
will DO the rAte are questions serioutly pandered
by every tax payer In the county. The hrst year
the majority IL the present Board Of Commission
ers made a levy they estimated the expenses Mt
sil9.?20.oO and levied for Siie,92l.i7. The rate
was 80 cents on every 500. and the basis On
which the levy vas made was SIS .322. i27. The
increase vas caused by the shor, levy made by
their predecessor the year previous. Since that
year the rate has been a. follows 50 cents, SO
eenis, IS cents. - cents. The basis on which the
levy for this year OSs2l vas made was s59is
llG, only ss6j.6s9 more than wha; II was four
years ago. 4 comparison Of these figures with
each other would seem g. indicate that the en-
trance aud cxi; of taxable property into and out
Of the county we're nearly equal Their annual
fluctuations almost balance each other.
This brings me 10 the subjcc. that said. with
your kind permission. might touch upon ia
another communication. The question u. how
much Is the basis 81 the levy enhanced from year
60 year by the ssse 'sors of new property, There
are six of these officers in the county. The total
amount paid them for each year for the year 1878
10. and 50 average 81 10000. | am told they
ceve 500 for every 81 600 worth ofpropefiy they
assess. Thi. would make the assessed property,
ad led TO the taxable basis. OO0. OOO0 year for
the three years. In lssi they received for their
services S2.Gi2.53 Al the rate mentioned above
thi. would represent property assessed 10 the
amount Of S2,Gl2, $50. For the four year, these
payments show that they assessed property in the
county amounting TO over t5.oOpoov, yet the
taxable bash Of lss2 over that Of 1875 was only
tsG5.Gs9. The County Commissioners sit annually
for the abatement of assessments. They have just
closed their sessions Tor that purpose for the year
lss3. IL would appear from the figures here
given tina; they abate as much Of the assessments
a. the assessors find out and assess from year TO
year. II this be the case, Is II not a pertinent
question 90 ask how much Is the taxable basis Of
the county enhanced by the assessors Of new and
missed property.
The answer l. bes, known 10 the County Com
missioners. bat from the standpoint Of the I'M
initiated the answer. judging by tho very small
increase added 10 the county basic. would be that
the asFessments made BY the assessors do not very
materially add 20 the taxable basis. The County
Commissioners have kept the people in the dark
concerning the financial condition Of the county.
This should not be. Tor the guardians and trus.
tees Of the citizens they should let them know 81
the end Of each year what arc the asserts aud
liabilities of the county. While they assert this
l. not part Of their duty, they have acted on the
idea that II IL. for shortly after the induction
Of \ majority Of the present board into oihee.
they, Ia ISIS, appointed Mr.. John Crowther 90
audit the books and accounts Of the County Com
nissioners and Treasurer Of Baltimore county,
from the LIST Of December 1870 10 the lst Of Dee,
lss5. This duty was performed In that able,
clean, consise aud satisiaetoTy manner for which
he merited aud received the thanks 81 the commit
nifty. Mr.. crowther 10 still the chief clerk aud
auditor of the County Commissioners. lie stiil
possesses the same clerical ability. lie still
look ~ infinitely At every asset aud liability Of
the county With a. clear and correct an eye ~ he
did over all the accounts from is5s ~ 1873, aud
again from 1878 10 December lot. 1877. the time
when majority Of the present board entered
upon their duties ~ County Commissioners. lie
IL their aulif0f tO.daV. but WhV the bonka