Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-25
MIscELLANEous aEooRD
rha Countv ~ Rnto.

New Castle county will fix the tax rate
for the ensuing fiscal year. and there
seems 20 be a disposition 10 increase the
rate TO go cents on the SlO0 For the
year just closing the rate was 80 cents
on the SlO0.
While il true that the present rate was
reached by gradual reduction from so
cents, to which heights it had scared
under the old and prohigato county adj
ministration, the taxpayers are not in q
state Of mind to accept an increase with
good feeling At any rate, they would
like TO be informed, in detail; OF the con-
ditions which, in the minds of the meme
hers Of the Levy Court, demand an adj
dition TO the burdens of taxation.
The only suggestion Of an explanation
thus far is contained in the informal
declaration Of a member to the effect
that while last year there was surplus
Of more than $4,000, the present fiscal
year will end with balance Of $4,000
or less This, he claimed, was proof posi-
tive that a rate Of so cents was not sufi-
cient TO meet the expenses of county
government, and that an increase would
be absolutely necessary.
From one point of view, this reasoning
Is all right From another, and what
may be called the taxpayers point Of
view, it is all wrong.
According to this showing, tho Levy
Court, in its administration Of the present
fiscal year, has expended all the avail
able receipts Of the year, with the addi-
tion Of about $4,000 Of last years sur
plus. But before this may be advanced
as a justification for increasing the tax
rate for the purpose OF advancing the
yearly revenues to the point of covering
the yearly expenditures, il is incumbent
upon the Levy Court to show that this
drawing of $4,000 from the surplus of
last year was absolutely necessary, and
not in any manner due to extravaganza
or unbusnesslike methods let il pro-
vide the taxpayers with detailed and
comprehensive statement of the years
fiscal operations, in order that they may
Judge for themselves.
One item that is urged as an explana-
tion Of increased expenditures is the de-
mand for new roads. This demand
II is claimed, viii have to be ignored ia
q material extent unless the tax rate Is
increased. But has the Levy Court given
proper consideration to the question OF
good roads Has it made invcstira.
tion directed 20 the point of ascortainina
whether good roads may not be con,
structed for less money than New Castl,
county has been paying for them thu,
far2
IL must be admitted that, despite IN,
fact that the State will meet, dollar fo
dollar the amount yearly expended b,
the county in the construction of noy
roads, the opinion is general that the COS
Of the roads already constructed 81 OOl
20 $1,000 per milc-is more than ou
people feel they can afford to pay. Yer,
good roads are constructed in New Jerse,
where practical roadbuilding has beer
reduced to an efficient system for 81 OO
and $1,000 a mile. Has the Levy Cour
made such an investigation as viii de
termine whether these roads will no
prove satisfactory in New Castle county
Whether there has been any tendenc
to economy and careful scrutiny in IN
expenditures OF the Levy Court durin
the fiscal year now drawing to a clos
cannot be determined until the hnanci,
statement for the year is put into shan
and made public. Il is doubtful how
ever, that any special efforts have bee
put forth in this direction. The expend
tures for the previous year, as is reveale
by the official figures, showed large ii
crease in some Of the districts The
is reason 70 believe, therefore. that if Il
Levy Court give due regard to reasonab
economy, il viii have no difficulty
getting through the next fiscal year witt
out making taxes heavier