Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-01
WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER l, 1886,
The Instalment Plan.

A member Of the Legislature, who i
q LAWYER of distinction and also Dem
ocrat belonging to the sold Guard,
having been present at roll-call in every
campaign for years, writes US the fol-
lowing letter, to which we regret we
have not the privilege Of attaching his
name, it being private letter not in
tended for publication. As we give no
clew to bis name, we trust that he will
excuse us for publishing his letter. LIE
writes:
Dear Sir,-I have been anxiously
thinking, both in and out Of the Legis-
lsture, on our financial difficulties, and
/ read with interest all that see on
the subject, hoping that something prac-
ticsble may be suggested that will put
the Commonwealth in control Of her
revenues.
Ibaye all the time been favorable to
the instslment plan for the payment Of
taxes, but there seemed to me to be a
serious difficulty that would render the
measure unpopular with the large ma
jority Of taxpayers, who never could
avail themselves Of the coupon as a tax
paying medium in this-that taxes
would be collectable at an earlier day
than now.
I think ! have now fallen upon an
expedient that will render the plan en-
tirely unobjectionable on this score,
and leave the plan Objectionable to no
one, except perhaps the tressurers,
who can be easily Modified by small
additional compensation for the in
creased trouble to which they will be
subjected. My suggestion is this ::
Taxes to be made payable and col.
lectsble by distress or levy as follows:
One fourth of the years taxes on Au-
gust LIST, one fourth on November lst,
one fourth on February LIST, and one
fourth on May LIST; and on the back of
the bill due August LIST there shall be
printed a contract, to be signed by the
taxpayer, if he desires an extension,
to the following effect: "ln considera-
tion Of the extension by the Common
wealth to May 2, 1888, Of the time for
the payment of all taxes assessed
against me for the year lSS-, | hereby
agree to pay all of said taxes in cur
rent money Of the United States"
Of course the refusal Of the tax.
payer to sign this contract means that
he proposes to pay in coupons, and it
would be the duty Of the officer to levy
for the first instalment immediately and
for the rest as they fall due.
Our friends suggestion strikes us as
9 good ore. IDasmuch, however, as, to
use his own words, it is intended for
the benefit Of the " large majority OF
tax. pay ers," we will once more state
come facts which we have in vain en-
deavored to lodge in thepublic mind.
First, there are only 1924 tax
payers in Virginia who pay moro than
&lO0 each annually in taxes. These
1924 are of course nearly all in the
cities. But if they were equally dis
tributed amongst the counties there
would be only dozen in each county
So nobody need be afraid Of the un
popularity Of the instalment scheme.
Secondly, the Supreme Court of APP
peals Of Virginia has decided-and it il
the law fthe State--thAt the school-ts,
must be paid in money. One fourth o
all the tax on real estate goes to the
public schools. Deduct one fourth from
the taxes Of the 1924 above alluded
to, and there will be not over 700 or SOC
persons paying over slO0 Of taxes.
Thirdly, only so persons pay $500
and over. Average their tax-bills al
5000, and they altogether pay s4S, 900
Only IS pay s400 to $500. Average
theirs at s450, and they all pay only
sl5,750. Only Ga pay $500 to s4o0
Average theirs at $3.50, and they all pa,
s22400. Only III pay 500 to $500
Average theirs at $3.50, and they al
pay only 1880. Only about 20C
this figure is not official, but it is LID
ersl 10 the coupon-speculatorsl pay sl6'
to 800. Average theirs at sl75, ant
they al pay $4,000.
Now add these totals together an
you have GIGS, 400. Subtract tn
school-tax, which cannot be paid i
money, and there will be left onl
sl24. 050 as the amount that could b
paid in coupons by all persons payin
over cleo ayear.
But Il Is an important question, no
uxpy paying under cleo could unds
The instalment plan pay in coupons
Nobody paying under $50 ts2O off f
school-tax) could use even els CO,
pom. How many taxpayers pay owe
ESQ? In all, excluding those name
above, there are about 1900. Thes
pay cay 800 each, or slS0, 900. DeduC
one fourth for school-tax, and "
have sl35,000. II would seem tbs
about 1850. 900 is all that coul
possibly be paid in cocpons under th
instalment pan. Bat really not on
third that amount would be paid i
coupons. The hundreds Of thousand
OF taxpayers who cannot use coupons
under the present plan, nor under tn
irsislment plan, would create . publ,
opinion that will prevent such . wrong
The result would no that only . hun
bred thousand, or possibly two, o
coupons would DO used. The coupon
would fall to . mere nominal price, ant
ibs bopdholdsrs, finding that their cou
pers could not possibly got into th'
treasury. would BE- glad to b allowed
70 fund under The RIDDLEBEBdER bill
Al State officers would got rid Of ths
yssslieus suits Sor damages IN ths