The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-01-23
Written for "The Enquirer
Taxes and Taxation in Prince
Georges County.

Written for "The Enquirer"
Taxes and Taxation in Prince
Georges County.
ITO see ourselves as others see u.s. and
how do others see us? One of the first
questions of the stranger upon coming to
Maryland or any other locality, for the
purpose of investing his money in farm
property especially, is: "How are your
taxes? How much do you have to pay
upon a hundred of valuation?" Your an
swer is and must be, if you intend to be
honest with your friend, "They are high
this year, about $1.15 upon hundred
dollars" The next question is, "Are your
assessments based upon actual cash val
ues?" Here. again you are compelled to
tell him that land that he can buy for $40
per acre is assessed at $25. Then he says,
I'm that case, 1 will have to pay upon
each 800 of actual value p times what
ought, and if 1 pay 81. Is upon the assessed
value must pay $2S74 upon the actual
cash or real value. This looks like hard
proposition, but what do you get for it?"
"Well," say, II hardly know what we
do get, but am told that quite large
part of it goes for roads," II would
think then you ought'to have good roads,
but have been riding with you now for
the last three days all over the country,
and while the soil is as good as l ever saw
to make good roads out of, think the
roads are about the worst that l ever
travelled over What is the matter; where
does the money go tor "Well," I say,
II don't think that much of it is ever
actually expended on the roads, and what
is put on the roads is put on in such
shape that it takes ten dollars to do the
been taken in time" "How is that?"
"Well, for instance. here is hill, the
center of the road has been worn until it
has become the lowest and a heavy rain
will ash that center still lower. One
dollar expended in grading and making
the center the highest would turn the
water off and there would be no wash,
but as it is now no one pays any attention
to the condition of this hill until it has
been 80 washed that it is dangerous to
drive over. Then some one, who is in
the habit of getting his living in this way
rushes before the Board of Road Commits
sio ners (who meet twice a month) and
says, Queen Anne hill is so washed that
it is dangerous to drive over, and if it is
not fixed right away some one will get
killed there and the county will have to
pay for them, and it may ost the county
a $1,000 With one accord the Commits
sioners say it ought to be fixed, and one
of them says, john or Richard, as the
case may be, do you think that you could
find the time to see to having it fixed
WELL says.J. or r., I am very busy now,
L am very busy now, but if you want me
to look after it will try and find the
time But some member of the Board
that likes to know what the cost will be
says, John, how much do you think it
will cost to fix that place good Oh
says John, about $40, can't say exactly
In about one month John comes before
the Board with a bill for $25 for fixing
roads. The chairman says, Here is bill
from John for fixing roads, $25. What
do you do with it gentlemen But says
Mr.. A. of the Board, when was this work
done and who authorized it? John, when
did you do $25 worth of work on the
roads, Why says John in surprise,
don't you remember that about a month
ago you persuaded me to superintend the
fixing Of Queen Anne hill?' oh, yes, I
do remember that but you said it would
cost but $40 We'll, said about that,
couldn't tell exactly But this bill is for
$25. How is that?' We'll, says John,
when you authorized me to superintend
the work my business was such that /
couldn't get at it for about week, and
during that time there came a rain and
washed the hole about times as large as
when told you it would cost about $40,
and then after l got that hole fixed there
was a whole lot of work that needed to
be done down near the end of the bridge
and superintendent that, too. You will
notice that have itemized the bill so you
can see what is for labor and what is for
material, and you will see by running it
over that have charged very little for
my services as superintendent This
looks as though John had made martyr
of himself for the good of the county, and
Mr.. B. of the Board moves that the bill be
allowed and an order drawn on the treas
ury for the amount. The motion carried,
John gets $25 and the hill is in just as
good shape to earn another $25 as when
he commenced on it." WELL" says my
friend, that is the way it is done, is it?
Don't think it worth your while to haul
me around here any more. Don't think I
will find anything to suit me. Guess I'll
60 home and try Canada or Oklahoma"
"Oh, don't be in rush, that can all be
fixed" "How?" "I'll tell you after
supper" E.P. GIBBS.
Florida.