Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-08-28
the TEN CENT LEVY.
Some Hard Facts IN Relation
to II.
The Law Which Created It---why Ii is De-
sired and Why Fought---SOme
Taxpaying Views.

The ten cent levy is being very generally
discussed about the city, while it is pending
in Council, and some little light is being
thrown upon it By those who are interested
in its passage. 1t is quite evident however,
that there is an almost general misunder-
standing concerning the use, law and equi-
ty of this levy. To explain this and to give
the substance of current opinion, is the OBJ
ject Of this article.
The Legislature of 1879 passed, without
opposition, law empowering the Council
to levy and collect al annual tax OF 10
cents on every hundred dollars of real estate
and personal property returned for taxation
for specific purpose. The money thus
raised cannot go into the general fund OF
the city, but
MUST BE APPLIED EXCLUSIVELY
to the streets and alleys Of the city; further,
not cent of this money can go to streets
and alleys already improved, but must be
exclusively used upon streets and alleys
never paved or mscadamized, and any citi-
zen, by injunction, can prevent the applca-
ton Of any of this money to any street or
alley already improved, whether for
change of paving or for repairs. This is
,he law end SEQ ~ieaoHa 70 sPPa.eat, For
example:
Up to the time Of the assumption of its
created power by the Board of Public Works
there were two wards of the city absolutely
without paving on any street, but which
wards had always paid their proportion
of the taxes which paid for the paved streets
in other wards. To distribute the benefits,
this ten cent law was passed, with the pro-
vision as named. Under it the Third ward,
which is nearly all paved gets none Of the
revenue, which must 60 the Seventh or
Eighth wards, for example, which have al
ready paid for paving the Third. With this
knowledge the ten cent paving law was
placed on the statute books without dis
senting voice. And this brings up to the
present.
At the first regular meeting Of Council in
his month the annual tax was levied, but
he ten cent levy for paving purposes was
omitted. The reasons urged were, first,
The people are poor and taxes ought to be
light, and second, the Board of Public
Works is extravagant and we want
10 give them as little money as possible.
No particular champion of the levy rose
D and it was easily defeated, Mr.. Jones, o.
ne Seventh ward having made the motion
which struck it out. Since then, there has
,een slight revulsion of feeling and at
be next special meeting Of the Council, a
move was made to make the 10 cent levy.
THE ISLAND PEOPLE ROSE EN- NAssE
demand the passage Of the levy aud thus
rged: 1--WE have paid our share Of the
axes that paved the city and carried on its
government, but we have received none Of
ne benefits. We have no: q single paved
street We demand the passage OF this
levy, as most of the money is to be applied
the Island and we are entitled to it by
every right ofjustice." But the ordinance
was defeated in the Second Branch, when it
was carried into the First and is now pend
ng there.
In talking with perhaps hundred differ
ent persons, the writer has taken their opin-
IONS and, sifted down, the objection to the
ordinance lies only in deeprooted preju-
dice against the Board of Public Works,
through whose hands the money must 60.
One or two did object to taxing the people,
but they wilted when the figures were
shown. 1t is evident that, being the execu-
tive authority, as the Council is the legisla;
i've, the Board is held responsible for the
laundering extravaganza of the Council,
and is censured for expenditures ordered
by the Council, nay it is censured for
lhese things by members Of Council who
voted, themselves, for these self same i'm
provements, as the record, where records
were taken, will show. But whether Board
on Council is to blame, or whether expen-
iitures were judicious or extravagant, is not
with the province Of this article. which is
% consider the question of the ten cent levy
and give facts and opinions concerning it.
A THRILLING SUN.
In round numbers the assessed realty and
personally of the city is Sl7,000,O00, which
would yield paving fund of 81, 000 This
money can only be paid out when the drafts
by the Board certify that the work is on
new streets As to the alleged burden this
tax imposes on the poor man. A poor man
has, say 5000 of furniture and personal
property. If so, his back is broken to ex-
actiy the extent of 20 cents by the tax. If
he is rich enough to own $1,000 house,
MS tax is only one dollar. The fact of the
natter is, the working people of Wheeling
re raising no objection at all to the paving
ak and, narrowed down, the objection to it
urged only by those who, for real or fan,
lied wrong, are opposed to the Board Of
Public Works The Island people, who
4ant this tax and want the improvement it