Milford chronicle., 1908-09-11
Farmers Of Delaware and Taxa.
ton.

AuGluOClS VI Jul vi duSC nave OCGl
before the commission for a hear
ing as to the taxing Of farms an,
heavily burdened with taxes nov
and that they could not stand an,
more taxes, and they asked that tn,
commission should not make tn,
burden any heavier, which to my
mind was not enough to ask TO
as the farms are now the heavies
taxed property in our State l think
the members of the Grange should
haye asked that the taxes be reduced
instead of being left as at present.
Mr.. Hervey Walker pointed out
! the fact that farm land is taxed al
the rate of 10000 per acre, and that
if he improves his property the as
SCISSOR Immediately raises the assess
ment.
At a meeting of the Grange Mr..
Walker pointed out the fact that
you could buy a farm for less than
| it is assessed for and that you could
not stop knot hole in your barn
without the assessor knows it and
raises your assessment.
Our present system Of raising rev
enue is very unjust to all as Mr.
Walker said, you cannot stop a
knot hole in your barn without
being taxed for it, the farmers are
taxed on their land, houses, barns,
fences, horses, COWS, pigs, dogs,
and all the Improvements they
make, and if they happen to keep
a stallion for service, they must
have a special license Of 10. so. All
these taxes weigh heavy on the
farmer. Now how can we raise the
revenue without taxing the inn
provements, the horses, cattle, pigs
or any of these things which the
farmer builds, makes, grows or
breeds? The proposition is very
easy. All we have to do is to tax
the land of our State according to
the value of it, and exempt all inn
provements from taxation. Let
the State appoint a commission to
assess all the land Of our State
and then figure up the amount of
revenue the State will need and set
the rate of tax that will raise the
revenue and tax each one accord
ing to the value of his land.
You can see how much better
this would be for the farmer when
we stop to consider, the value of a
farm, we will find that the house,
barn, fences and other improve
ments are very much greater than
che land value.
Now look at the farm as though
there were no house, barn, fences
or Improvements Of any kind upon
it. then what would be the value of
the land ? This value is all that
should be taxed, and no matter
how much the farmer improves it
we should not tax him one cent for
his Improvements or anything else
which he has, whether he uses it
or not would make no difference to :
us and the county officials can do
lust the same as the State. Assess /
the value Of the land in the county .
and figure up the amount it will .
need to run the county and set the .
tax rate and tax all the land alike,
according to the land value whether
the owner is using it or not, and
the town and cities can do just the
same. Let the town and city Off
cials assess the land of their town
or city and figure up the amount
to run the town or city
and set the rate of tax and charge
all alike according to his land value
This would be a great benefit to all
as it would remove all taxes from
improvements and encourage men
to be industrious. This would
greatly relieve the farmer of the
heavy burden of taxation which he
is now paving, for the farmer has
pleny of land, but he has mot much
land value, therefore his tax would
not be very much nor should it be
for he gets very little from the State
or county for the taxes he pays,
not even a good road to drive on.
lust think it over. Why should
you be made to pay tax for build
ing a house, a barn or anything
else ? The State or county does
not give them to you and l cannot
see what harm you have done that
you should have to pay the State
u county for it. Had you not
1nilt they would not have needed
he money, at least they would not
lave taxed you, and it is improve
nents we want, the more we have
If them the better, and we should
them in place of discour
lging men by taxing them for max
ng Improvements.
Think this matter over and you
will see how you would be benefited
~ being exempt from taxes on your
-, movements ot1d 5t1ct f,a,,f,,,r oC