Evening journal., 1913-10-03
FRIDAY OCT. 3. 1913.
THAT EQuALlzED ASSESSMENT.

q Id. honest property owners in Wilmington will
( a welcome fair and equal assessment
All dishonest property owners should be compelled
q accept it,
pledge to give il.
The present system Of assessment in use here is
admittedly unscientihc and unfair
simple Justice demands that something better and
more equitable be provided.
Under con tions as thoy exist today many prop
critics ere assessed entirely high aud their owners
are payins more than they should toward the sup
por Of the city government
Man othc properties assessed entirely too low
and their owners escaping the payment Of their
5air share o. tn muncinal burden.
The hard part of Il is that rule The small prop
critics too high the large properties
assessed too low.
IN other words. under the existing system the heav-
lest burden taxation ests upon those who are
cast able to bear It.
Wilmington property who believe in fair
dealing between and and between and
The municipality of which he IS part should welcome
he present activity OF Mayor Howell and also that OF
President Of Council White and Councilman stoyer
<spd Building Inspector William E. Johnson, consi-
rntine Board OF Revision and Appeals
in their effort to obtain assessment system that
will be founded upon equity.
Thcy not only should Welcome such activity but also
give to hose public officials cir unqualified support
from now u the new assessment system becomes
q potential actuality
II goes VII out saying that there viii be opposition
IN certain quarters to the installation Of any new
system which has for s nderlying object the reduc
>tlon Of assessments upor properties that now are
PAYING entirely too much taxes and the increase OF
assessments properties that paying too
little
30 wizard is required to foretell from what source
hat opposition viii Human nature win forbid
IL come from those whose assessments aud taxes
u.qll .nr ouIv fhoec uh
assessments and taxes will be increased
No should the people lose sight OF the fact that that
vin b. exceedingly dangerous opposition. 1t will
be made rule. Of ihe larger property
who VIII have both the and the disposition TO
hght for coutnuace Of system that Is easy
upon ihem and SO hard ipon the small property
owners
Therefore. for Mayor Howell and his associates TO
Fnt through their equalization plan it is OF paramount
mporiancc ihat ihey have Support Of strong ana
hfsltny public Sentiment II behooyes those property
-anRsrs uho have the victims for years Of sys-
fem inequality and injustice rally now to their
sppport and make the fight for assessment and tax
alton equality and justice peoples fight OF such
magnitude and intensity that the tax-dodgers viii be
silenccd and do the manly part in the work
OF financing the city government
There 10000 parcels Of land improyer and un.
improved. within the corporate limits Under ans
proper system each Of those parcels must be ap
.praised It is going TO cost money to have that ap
prslsa made In considering that initial expenditure
- should he distributed by the public mind over
long period Of years. because its benefit will be s,
distributed
y other words the initial cost viii come back int,
fhs city treasury MANIFOLD. The equalization plan.
honesti, carried out will be a paying investment fo
many years to come II It cost has been sug
gested, approximately $4,000 TO make the appraisa
Of the 10000 properties and put the system into
feSt Much Of that money may be earned by VIII
mingtonans- who will keep II in circulation here.
IN this connection ii should be borne in mind tba
me work Of equalization is mandatory and not dis
cretopary The amended act enlarging the powers
OF ghe Board of Assessment. Revision and Appeals
states tha' its members shs-not that they may
seRnse such an assessment 10 made. II follows
Therefore. that the law imposes such an obliea-
ton upon 'hem it is their duty 70 perform it honestly
81 ana effectively and hat to do ii they must spend
ri'steser moaey may be necessary