The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-07-29
Some Interesting Figures.

LII VIC" VI L1O dPPA o1SAAAS NASPSA
sary election, we thought it well tc
publish some figures as to taxes, ETC..
so that the people of the county car
knoweexactly what they are doing in
this matter. These figures are not
published as an argument for OF
against the dispensary, but we feel
that the voters should know exactly
the condition of affairs.
The present tax levy of Bambere
county is three mills, or was last
year, and this tax brought in $S,'
|776.71, while the dispensary profit to
the county was $9,2S1.S7. So if the
dispensary is voted out a deficit OF
s9,2S1.87 will have to be made up
by taxation, which will mean that our
county taxes will be at least six mills
and maybe more. True the county
has a surplus of $4,000 on hand
now, and this can be used before
taxes are raised. Certain it is that
our county expenses are not going to
decrease very much, although our
courts may cost less under prohibi-
ton.
The school fund derives s2,S4S.5O
from the poll tax; $8,676.71 from the
constitutional three mill tax: and
$612.95 from the dog tax, making a
total from these three sources of
s12,138.16 for the schools of the
county, exclusive of special levies.
The dispensary profit to the schools
last year was $4,640.98, making a to-
tai for schools of s16,779.14. So in
the matter of schools deficit of $4,-
64O.98 will have to be made up by
special taxation if the schools are
not to 60 backward. .
The total taxes collected last year
for county purposes and schools lex
elusive of special levies) was $780,
814.87, and the total dispensary
profit paid to the county, schools, and
towns was $23,204.72.
Aside from any dispensary connec-
ton these figures are interesting for
it shows what the income of the
county and schools amount to. To
the above figures must be added a
State tax of five mills and the spe-
cial levies in the various districts for
school purposes.
Last year the dispensary paid to
the towns in the county total profits
of $9,2S1.S7.
The taxable property of the town
of Bamberg is something over $400,-
900, on which tax tevy of eight
mills brings in nearly $500 or
thereabouts. The dispensary profits
to the town of Bamberg last year
were more than $4,000, so if the dis
pensary profit is eliminated taxes
will have to be doubled at least in
the town. Then, too, the income OF
the town, even with the profits from
the dispensary, is not any too much
at present. So it is reasonable to
suppose that tax payers in the town
of Bamberg will have to pay a levy
of "a mills if the dispensary is voted
out, divided as follows: County tax,
six mills; State tax five mills; con-
stitutional school tax, three mills;
special school tax, four mills, town
tax, sixteen mills. We believe this
estimate is entirely conservative, and
that taxes here will certainly not be
any lower than estimated.
Denmark has levied no town taxes
for two years. Her income from the
dispensary is s2,391.76. This def
cit will have to be made up by tax
alton, so a levy of eight mills or
more will be necessary there we
think. Olar gets s1,148.77 from the
dispensary; Ehrhardt, $1,461.79, and
in both of these towns this deficit will
have to be met by property tax,
which will amount to considerable.
The figures above will be well
worth studying, and we would be
glad for interested persons to con-
suit the records in the offices of the
various officials as to their correct
ness. If we have made any mistakes,
and this is possible, we should be
glad to be corrected.