Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-03-31
MONDAY. MAR. 81. 1918.
THAI RATIO OF slI,75O,oOO TO sesO,OOO-

N ROPERTY values in New Castle county have been
L increased almost sl20OOOOO by the revised county
assessments The bulk of the increase has been made
in the city of Wilmington, which already bears two
thirds Of the expense Of the county government
The understanding is that the increase for rural New
Castle county will aggregate only S250Ooo, and that
the increases in the city will be approximately
si1,75OooO, chiefly upon the larger properties
The question now arises whether. in this work Of
cqualizng the county assessments the rural sections
have been asked pay their fair share Of the in
creases The figures cited above will indicate to
many that they have escaped and that the burden
n heen put npon Wilmington property owners. The
ratio OF 900 to S250OOO shows its face that
the Levy Court Commissioners and the assessors have
been much considerate in their treatment Of
the rural sections than OF the urban sections. In
short although heretofore the city OF Wilmington has
paid two-thrds Of the county taxes we find that
when il comes to increasing the assessments the in
creases on city properties aggregate forty-seven
times the increases suburban and rural properties
There is a discrepancy there that is to cause
Wilmington taxpayers to feel that once more the bur
den has been unIoaded upon them for the benefit of
tho rural districts
No reasonable person will deny that assessments
should be cQualized and that the old policy Of
scssng small properties up TO the hilt and permitting
the larger properties 20 escape with only fraction
of market values has been wrong. But when equali-
zation is tho policy OF the hour, It should be done
fairly not only with regard to the several classes
of property the city. hut also with regard 20 the
several classes Of property in the rural sections.
The ratio Of $l17500O0 TO S250OOO does not bear on
IT'S face the stamp OF fairness 10 the taxpayers Of
the city of Wilmington
Many persons deny that the Levy Court is in such
financial straits as warrant the extraordinary work
that is proposed under this assessment plan. They
admit that the county should have sufficient revenue
20 meet it's legitimate needs. but deny that in ef-
fort TO obtain the property owners in VIII
mington should be penazed by overriding Of tho
work Of the duy-ooctcd assessors to such extent
has been done IN this instance n Is pointed out
that the people elect TO make the
mcnts and IL lis asserted by many taxpayers that the
law does not empower the Levy Court 10 employ as
TO undo the work done by the elected asses
sors. admitting that tho Levy Court has the pow
10 review the assessments made by the duy-eeced
assessors. The chief grievance u.s. however that the
Levy Court has unloaded the burden the tax
'payors OF Wilmington and permitted the taxpayers in
in the rural districts to 90 practically sco-free, be-
increase of only s25o00O in the ten rural
hundreds to little nothing when dstrib-
utcd such wide containing OF
towns and villages and thousands Of farms VIII
minrtonians have a valid right 10 be indignant az
those who propose equalization plan which increases
assessments I'm this hundred si.75O0o0 and lets tho
ten rural hundreds off with increases agErcgaung only
s25O0o0.