Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-10
THE FINANCES OF THE CITY
Probability of the Tax Rate
Being Increased.
SUM TO Be RAISED BY TAXATION
$5S, 900 More Than the Levy
This Year.


1t looks very much as II City Council,
after revising its financial budget for
the fiscal year beginning July 1st, 1900,
will be confronted with the necessity
for raising the tax rate.
If the estimates Submitted to Council
by the finanGe committee at the last
meeting are correct, and it is hardly
likely there will be much reduction in
any of the items, the expenditures next
year will amount to s629, 2S6. 81. as
against s6l6, 67 estimated last May
for the current year, being an increase
of Sl3, lS8 70 for next year.
The estimated revenues for next year,
exclusive of tho money raised by taxa
tion of real estate, are S41, 800, while
for this year these revenues we're esti-
mated at S93, $50. 80, being SAT, 400. 32
greater than for next year. This includes
S2D,000 of Adams tax money in next
wears budget. which is still in the
hands of the collectors and may remain
there for some time, and also S3, 600,
the estimated receipts from the rent
Of Rharves and street beds, market fees,
taxes on poles, &o.
Adding the differance iE estimated
revenues and the increase of expenses,
the total is $50, ,638. G2. At the begin
ming of the current fiscal year there
was deficit of about $1,000, while at
the beginning of the next year the de-
ticit will be something like $40, 600, a
difference of s34,00 This, Of course,
is due, largely, to the rayIng off of a
$4,000 loan instead of Iefunding it.
Adding tho deficit to the increased ex-
pcnditures and reduced revenues, the
total is S9i, 6.3s. 62, which should be ac-
counted for in the tax levy for next
year.
If, upon being contested, the action
of the tax collectors in ASSESSING out
side improvements CT railroad, railway,
heat and light corporations. terminates
favorably to the city, which is by no
means certain, the result will be
something like $780, ,000 in taxes, which,
! would reduce the additional atnount to
be raised Just that much, the difference
being S64, ,63s. 90. 1t should also be
taken into consideration that in fixing
the tax rate last year, it was proposed
to take ,are of the deficit of Sc, 200,
which was done. This amount should
also be reduced from the additional
obligations. leaving q net result OF
| e5S, ,63s.62.
Consequently, with the most favorable
termination of everything now pending,
it Nill he necessary TO raise by taxation
S5S, CHS. 62 more than was fixed as the
amount tn he raised during the current
year. This last.named amount was
1922, T4S. .33, which with the addition,
will be 1881, 1856 97.
According to tho assessment made
last year, the assessahle value of the
real estate of tho city was $50, 5i5, 3)2,
which is increased this year by the adj
dition of about sl,000,000, making a
total OF something over $40, 900. 600.
This is the value subject to general city
taxation. That subject to taxation fol
school purposes is trifie less, as the
properties of colored people are not as
sessed for school taxes, neither are the
owners required to pay capitation tax.
II was estimated, for this year, that al
the rate OF 90 cents on the 500 value
for general city purposes, the tax would
amount to S375, GSO.37, and tho schoo
tax, at 45 cents on the SlO0, to S17I,.
Gti7, 90, the total Of all revenues being
S6I6, ,099. 59 But $40, COO was allowed fol
errors, reducing the amount to S6l6,'
09S. 50. This was very close calculating
being eight centa loss than the esti
mated expenditures.
1t will ho sean, therefore that som'
plan must lie devised Tor raising S5S,
639. GO 10 addition to the estimated
cnst of running the city government
and meeting its obligations during tn,
current year. and the only thing tina
at present looks sura aside from rails
ing the tax rate. is the revenue from
additional property value to the amoun
of Sl,G0Q, coo, and as that alone viii
not make up the deficiency, the raising
of the tax rate seems the only sur
way to come out square at the end o
the wear and pay of the obligation
which have accumulated. 1t reall,
looks as ii the tax rate might be in
creased from 81. 40 on the Sl00 to 81. 8
and probably SLIGO.
/. One OF the additional items of expens
next year will be the cost of holdin
the eiectIon. Last year this item wa
only 5000, while for tho next tsca
, year, it is s5, 9iT, an increase of s., TAI
The finance committee will, 10 al
nrobahility, present its final report
, with the revised list of revenues an
expenditures, and fixing the tax rate
{ on Thursday night, May 2ith.
Some members of Council. whe
spoken to about the matter, insiste
that it would not be necessary to in
I crease the tax rate, although it wa
i impossible to learn how they mad
a theii calculations or what they base
: them on
a Turnpike Company Meets.