The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1907-01-11
WHY TAXtS ARE HIGHER.
Interesting Paper By Treasurer
BartIeS Prepared for The Times.

| Some time ago on account OF the /
many complaints heard by The Times
editors, concerning the seemingly high
rate OF taxes, we requested Treasurer
Bartles to give us statement for the
benefit of the taxpayers. In compli-
ance with this request the following
paper was prepared for The Times and
with pleasure we give it to our read
ers:
Il want it understood in the begin
ming, that | am not writing for public
ity, but to give you some facts, SO far
as | am informed, in reference to high
taxes. AS you all should know, have
nothing to do with making taxes high
or making taxes low. My duty is to
collect what the auditor directs me to
collect, according to the tax dupifSt.si
which is made up by him and tutned
over to me to collect by. SO I neither
make tax returns or take tax returns,
consequently I am not entitled to any
praise for taxes being low nor am l to
|
The question is asked me many times
every day, why are taxes SO high?'
This question is hard one to answer
correctly. Taxes are high, it is true.
but just exactly what makes them SO
high is the question. Now | am going
to give you some facts and let you con-
slider for yourselves why taxes are as
high as they are.
To consider the matter intelligently,
we will take up one tax department at
the time. We will first take up State
tax. In 1897, the first year after North
Pacolet was taken off of Union. the
State tax collected by Union county
and turned over to the State was $I7,-
900. In 1906 the amount collected and
turend over to the State was Sa7,5ocl
In 1896. this year, the tax duplicI1i
calls for $40. 200 for State Now lis'
ter: Union county is paying this year,
1000. ST ?. 200 more to the Statae than It
1900. SI2.2 200 more to the State than it
did III 1897, which was the first Year
after North Pacolet was taken off.
. Now just why this is the case | do not
know You should know the reason
: why just as much so as myself. l,
and so do you, know that Clemson has
been built OF late years and so has
z Winthrop. Whether they ought tc
have been established or not is no,
for me to say; but they have been es
= tablishcd, and it took money to estab
lish them. 1t also takes annually a
right good appropriation from the
State to keep them going. The State
, house. penitentiary and asylum al
have been improved, and it took more
money to do this. SO much for State
tax.
Now we will take up school tax and
renovate that. In 1897 we collected
\ for constitutional school $4,000; fol
polls. $4,000; for special schools, 1900
making a total of $I4,ooo for schoo
purposes. This was the amount o
, school tax paid in by the tax payer:
for 1897. Now in 1905, the amount o
school t1ow tax paid % HI usR6nafSRGaSSs55
$4,000; polls, $1,000; spec'a' sehoo'
ss"qaa qaayggqHs era 'tI'f t'@f 1905, L $4,000. Wv
School tax on the tax duplicate t,
be collected for 1906, this year, is a
follows: Constitutional. $1,000: polls
$1,000; special school. $1,000; making ;
total OF $4,000 Now you see tha
the school taxes have increased iron
$4,000 in 1907, to Ss1. 500 in 1905. max.
ing an increase in school tax since
1907 OF $1,000. We are paving out this
year Tor the education OF the children
i'll Union county, $1,000 more than we
did in 1907. AS matter of fact. this
money has to come out OF the tax paw
"rs pockets; consequently, taxes are
made higher. Just why it takes So
go more now than it did in 1907 for
school, am not able to saw. unless
there are more children to educate
more school houses to build, and more
teachers To- pay, and longer terms.