The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-22
WILL IT Be DECREASED?
The Rate Of County Taxation Soon 70
Be Decided On.


f Some Think the Rate VIII Remain
the Same, as the Commissioners
Have Been Liberal Where khe Old
Board was Close and Vice Versa.
The Commissioners still Maintain
That the Rate VIII be Lowered.
There has been no little comment upon
the question whether there viii be any
/ decrease iu the rate of taxation iu Chat
ham county this year Though the com
missioners started out with that idea in
view, there is quite diversity of opinion
upon the subject.
at will be practically impossible said
a well-known attorney IN speaking Of the
matter for the commissioners to reduce
tho rate of county taxation this year
They started out on that line with good
intentions, il Is true, but many unfore-
seen circumstances have turned up, as is
usually the case, which viii make il al
most impossible for them TO carry those
intentions out
According TO their budget as first
made out, there might have been a slight
reduction, but they have made several adj
ditOns since that time, and if it is in
creased much more the rate will have to
bt lullN as ldEkt dS IL was id5b wear.
Where the old board was liberal the pres
ent board has been close, and vice versa
The present board has given largely to
charities and has introduced one
or two new items into the budget
whereas the old board apprO-
priated more largely to other objects
The commissioners however, have been
closely governed by the limits of necessity
ana strict economy, but this
does not remove the fact that the rate
will hardly be lowered. AS community
increases its wants and needs also in
increase, and where its institutions are
properly kept up IL is a hard matter to
cut down the rate"
; A COMMISSIONERS VIEWS
The commissioners, however, have a
different view upon the subject, and they
still hold out that their pet intention win
be carried out and that taxes will be less
this year than they We're last Commits
sioner Carson was told Of the views given
above on yesterday.
Il am Inclined to disagree with his
statement of the case, - he said Il have
figured ii out and | think ! can show that
there will be some reduction, though it
may be only q slight one.
In the first place the county still has
some money on hand left over from last
years taxes which is being used now for
current expenses. Thus the county is
ahead, and from year to year, one year
practically runs INFO another Last year
the rate was O. mills, but according to
my calculations we will be able to yet
along on mills, even though we spend an
equally large amount as was spent by the
commissioners last year.
There is now $40, 900 in back taxes due
the county from the property of the Cen
trail railroad and the Ocean Steamship
Company's wharf property. Ii we could
have obtained this at once the county
would have had to borrow only about
5000 on notes TO get along until the re-
turns are made up by the state authori-
ties and the state tax levied Until that
Is done, and it is generally completed
some time toward the middle of Septem-
Der, the county cannot begin the collec-
ton of its taxes.
OUT OF MONEY NOW.
THAT amount, however, must be paid,
and will be paid under orders of court
within six or eight months The county
IS practically out OF money already, but
II that $50 600 had been paid we could
have got along without borrowing any
money on notes except perhaps for edu-
cational purposes.
TAXABLE PROPERTY WILL INCREASE.
"Then the taxable property Of the
county has increased during the past
year, as the tax digest will show This
also tends 10 lower the rate, and will aid
materially in doing 50 even though we
spend the same amount of money on the
county institutions as was spent las
year
The old board paid out money for
things which we will not have to buy, for
instance, the steam dredge which cost
81, 600. They went in debt S42 900 in notes
for the purpOse of paying the educational
bills. This year it is almost impossible
for US TO get any money We're we to want
it. We have agreed TO give notes for 500
GOO for four months, for the purpose
of paying educational bills These will
be turned over to the board of edu-
cation, but when they will get their
money on them l don't know. They win
have to look after getting the money and
it is likely that they will not obtain it at
this time without paying u high rate of
interest
THE failure of the Central Railroad
and the Ocean Steamship Company to
pay the $4,000 taxes due has put
the county in rather a bad shape,
but now that it will be forthcoming it
will prove of material aid in arranging
the rate. The increase in the taxable
property, the taxes due from last year
and the probable diminished expenditures
will, | think materially decrease the rate,
at least the decrease will be sufficient to
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