Milford chronicle., 1909-10-01

THE system now in use for col
lecting taxes to support the public
schools, is full of inequalities, anc
bears unjustly upon those who con
scientiously pay promptly for The
education of the children Of the
state. The trouble is found in the
methods of collecting, as well as in
that of levying the taxes. On the
face of the law defining powers Of
the collectors Of school taxes, at
first it appears that ample powers
are given for this purpose but,
while this may be the fact, there
are other elements which surround
the collection of taxes which have
so completely environed that work,
that now it is almost an impossi-
bility for any board of education
having the schools in charge, to
get the taxes collected promptly,
or at all. The law provides that
where the taxable fails TO pay the
taxes assessed and placed in the
hands Of the collector for collection,
that he may forthwith arrest the
person so failing, and deliver the
body to the common Jail, etc. but
Just there is where the loop-hole |
exists. The collectors of taxes un-
der the present system of collecting
taxes, has the choice of making the
arrest, or leaving the matter alone
at their own sweet will, and finally
swearing that he has used due dill
ligence towards getting the taxa
bic to pay the tax and failed. He
then turns the name to the school
commissioners as a delinquent, and
they must accept this as final. The
facts are. collectors do not choose
to use the radical provisions or the
law Tor the reason, that they would
become unpopular with that par
ticu,ar class OF voters, who will not
discharge their duty as citizens, +
even towards paying a poll tax for
the education Of their own children. v
The law should be made mandatory b
on the collector to produce the tax o.
es, or the body of the taxable with
in six months Of the date Of the D
levying Of the tax. Under present
conditions, the collectors take two u .,
years to get the school taxes while E
the school officials are hampered
and compelled to borrow money to
pay the operating expenses of the
~.
Then the law is at fault d.
II its provisions for making the as o,
OF course the actual be
,alue of all property should be the be
'asis of assessment, rather than W,
he rental values, but it is another m
natter we desire to call the public on
.tteution to. The various school thu
'oards should be given power to far
trike from the assessment lists the tel
lanes of those who are physically -
.uable to earn lively-hood, either ve'
y reason of old age, bodidly all
1euts or being a cripple. There cal
re many men who have been good mC
itizens all their lives who have
cached period when they cease va,
D become even bread winners, and cas-
re existing upon either a very A \
mall pension, or by the loyalty of pre-
leir children, and who are unable VII
, contribute to public education. Ha
here are Others who by reason er
blindness, sickness or manning
f the body, who should be exempt D
ON being taxed, and as the school que
cards are very properly interested \
getting all the taxes possible to bot
perate the schools, it is safe to \
lace this power with them. There bee
re in Milford men who are earn n
Ig from ten to eighteen dollars Gee
lch week who are returned as de- h
on the school delinquent Kin
'ts. Their names should be pub lott n
shed for the information Of those viii
ho honestly pay for the support