Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-07-20
ONE VIEW or lHE TAX CASE.
An Article Reviewing The Facts Of
Unjust Taxation.

! MIR EDITOR:-l read your recent
article on the town and city govern
ment of Lancaster with interest
was surprised to learn that of the
road taxes Of the town Of Lancaster
the city pays more than one-half, or
from 81, 600 to 81 800 a year, Gas much
as the interest on our bonded indebt-
ness for waterworks,) and that no
part of this large sum is expended
within the city limits. The percent
age Of taxes on property within the
city is much greater than is paid on
the property outside the city. The
township of Lancaster is large and
wealthy. 1t has no bonded indebted
ness It's moi pauper that needs
help. Then why is the city so heavily
taxed for the roads and bridges of the
town outside of the cityP | suppose
the great mass Of the taxpayers of the
city have been ignorant of this situa-
ton as | have been Like me they
have paid their taxes because they
had to, without investigating for the
purpose the money was to be used
Your article set me to thinking, and
as the city Of Lancaster is a city, be-
cause Of its charter, and as taxes can
only be LEVIED according to law, it oc-
CURED TO me to examine the charter
of the city to find the provisions
which authorized the imposition of
the road taxes of the town of Lancas-
ter upon the property within the city.
found that section 81 Of the charter
provided that the city should consti-
tute ono road district of the town OF
Lancaster and that this road district
should be under the control of the
common council; and that in section
So it is said "Of any appropriations
made at any annual or special town
meeting of the town of Lancaster for
highways and bridges in said town
just proportion shall be expended
when necessary upon the highways
and bridges Of said town, situate
within said city, and shall be so cx-
pended under the direction of the
common council of said city, and the
supervisors Of said town may from
time 60 time appropriate reasonable
sum therefrom for the necessary re-
pairs Of highways and bridges within
said city, and eaese the same to be
paid into the city treasury to be so
expended under the direction of the
common council.
1t is continuously necessary to keep
the ighways Chat is the streets, in
Guiding sidewalks,) of the city in re-
par. Then why has not a Just pro-
portion Of the highway taxes raised
by a levy on all property Of the town
ship the half Of such taxes being
paid by the city of Lancaster, been
paid into the city treasury, as our
charter requires TO be expended with
in the city limits under the direction
Of the common council2 Perhaps be-
cause the city fathers, like myself,
have been ignorant of the city's rights |
and have not asked it. do not sup
pose that the town supervisors have
refused 70 appropriate a just part Of
the road tax money to the city be-
cause they have decided it was not
necessary for the city to have any of
il, and that by the charter il was left
entirely to them to decide that ques-
ton.
suppose in q case like this BY
cones are by-gones, that the money
that is gone the city cannot recover,
but what of the road money of this
year, and what of that of the years to
come if the city and the town contin-
ne to be Siamesc Twins? Shall we
get our share2 CITIZEN.