Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-06-13


what is Our Floating DesIf
Under hesct of 1883, as amended in 1885,
n ia made the duty OF levy courts to cause
to be printed in pamphlet form annually
IN the month Of December "a detailed
statement Of all expenditures of the funds
Of said county, and orders drawn by
each levy court commissioner for any
and ell service performed or materials
furnished In their respective hundreds,
specifying ia said statement the time
when and the purpose for which ,he 81 me
was done; said statement shall also con-
eain the aggregate amount Of the per
diem allowed to each mspber Of the levy
COURT with the number of days of at.
tendance and miles allowed to EACH"
Has any such annual statement been
put forth BY the levy court of New Castle
county within the Ave years that have
elapsed since the passage of this law 1t
was stated during the late session of the
General Assembly that there had not, and
THAT the reason therefor was that the law
prescribes no penalty for the non PR
formance of this duty. The plain in
ference from such a statement Is that
New Castle levy courts are not likely to
render to the taxpayers an account Of
their stewardship until they are not only
required, but compelled by Law SO to do.
II such q statement he'd been made
public in pamphlet form last December
it would be an easy matter to asc, tain
the floating debt of this county. Wln-
out il tho taxpayers have no reliable
source of information on this point.
Thage may be members Of the levy oou.t
who think Taxpayers have no right to be
inquisilive; that after they have eiected
men to run the oounty's business they
have nothing more to do in the premises
than to furnish the money to foot the
bills. But there are some Taxpayers un-
reasonable enough to dissent from this
view.
1t was stated by q member of the levy
court shortly before the expiration of the
last fiscal year that this floating debt then
aggregated nearly $4,000. He further
stated that there would be small surplus
fromtheyear'sa appropriations, but whether
this surplus was applied to the extia.
punishment of part OF this debt the COM
munity has not been informed. II not,
then the temporary loan Of $4,000
authorized last Monday ION account of
tho delay Of collectors in collecting laas
years. taxes" would bring the total up to
nearly $6O,O00.
There is another act Of the Legislature
Of 1888, chapter 16, volume xyl1, laws
Of Delaware, sections and of which
read as follows:
Sec. 8. 1t shall not be lawful for the said
levy court to contract any floating debt, or
to borrow any money In addition TO the
% apdAAs lAs sum oil $40 ,0C0 10 any one
yas.E and whan nv such floating deJt
shall be hereafter contracted il shail "a ms
duty OF said levy court TO provide for tho
payment thereof out OF taxes to be levied
Ia the year next the :eafter; provided that
10 case of the destruction by fire OF any OF
the public buildings of said county, or Of
any accident to any bridge OF said county,
destroying Lhe shIne OF rendering II ipA
secure, the levy court may by q vote OF
three-fourths OF its members, provide for
such emergency by temporary loRns until
after the next ensuing session of the Cen
eral Assembly.
Sec. 4, In case Of aug violation of section
of this act, the members Of the levy court
voting In taYor Of such violation shaN. be
personally liable for any debt or debts go
kacurred.
II ihsre is an existing hoaling debt of
$500 or 1000 it Is plain, since Inst
sum cannot have hsen properly dsbited
to emergency iotns of the excepted oisss,
that the provisions Of section . have
been violated, and that some uaszn bs-s or
ex-members mutt be personally liable.
Who arc thsy2