The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-06-27
THE TAX QUESTION.

TO OUR WAY OF thinking the tax
problem in this county reduces itself
mainly as a matter of increasing our
revenue, and that by getting at new
sources of income, and that by gather
ing taxes where taxes have been too
long either not gathered at all Oh
gathered insufficiently.,
We recognize, of course, that care
full and economical administration of
county affairs can bring about saw
ing of expenditure here and there and
thus to some extent reduce the
county's expenses and to that extent
its tax rate. This, however, is not
likely to amount to great deal, be-
cause in the first place careful and
economical handling of public matters
is something that is extremely hard
to secure, and because in the second
place the scale OF living is higher to-
day in our public, just as it is in our
private, affairs. Folks want more
things and better things. The demand
grows continually and necessarily in
creases the county expenses. What
We are trying to make plain is that in
the nature of things and in accord
ance with the spirit of the times, there
is not likely to be any sufficiently
large reduction in our county eXpen-
ses to materially reduce our tax rate.
What is the alternative?
Why, the proposition with which
We started-increase our income, en-
large the sources of our revenue.
How? By increasing the rate of tax
alton? No, in the name of common
sense and common mercy, NO! Wis
ible property, land, houses, livestock,
etc, are now taxed in this county be-
yond the point that is proper and wise,
if We are hoping to make such prop
erty-holding attractive. This sort of
property is also, on the whole, quite
adequately assessed, with the qualify
ing statement that a little system and
careful method in the Commissioners
office would get on the assessment
books some lands that are not there
now. And here is one of the steps
that should be taken to increase the
assessable basis of the county and
thereby Increase our revenue. 1t is
gross injustice to every tax payer in
the county that carelessness, over
sight, chicanery or anything else
should allow some property to go I'M
assessed and untaXed while other pro-
perty is assessed. A proper admin
istration of county affairs should not
suffer this to be. 1t is the very bust
ness of the county officials to see that
it does not endure.
Another step, and much more i'm
pOrtant one, is to get on the taX-bOoks
the vast amounts of invisible property
that escape taxation altogether. Why
IN the name OF common sense, should
baart taved ont If bi,' Iooanso ~
nronertv bannens 70 he +be sort +ha+
Fan ha sem honse NJ land w. -
horsa ~ ocv for eya,,,,Ia9 " ~ 49, ".
ertv anv tho los nronai,-v ~. am, IL
less valnahIe hecai1se i i: ;,cornor .,
and yis;hle9 WIN shn,,Id ono
sort of nronertv bo1dsr nav +aves and
the o+ber accanoo II !. ;nS, III snrt
Of +b;no ,bat anrendars ' h;t+orn , 81 !,
n,anv beor+s a,,d ,,,;,odl j., ~.
the fay nroh1en, ''' - N0''7'>'el MS
Rn+ tho d;finnl+, of ro++;nr ~ +bo
inv;SibIe nronor+T ~ s 49, az III 't'J
bonds and secnr;+;es o,d banl. Az
noSi+S, ~ ora ,,;11;n a o r:'' do,,o "
worth ~ S,,ch nronar+,, aS III -, as
con1+y ard S+s+a asc ~ +oIat ~.
aItore+her Will ~ tax $3.50 $500 W,
v;s;hie nroner+n rer,,n+e onJ .tra,+ ~, VI
der q heavy and hitte,. hnrSe @9"'I WI ~,
docs il escsn cav" VII nan .In hoo WHY
tbere aro LOT of pni Wy beoF, ,,,;Ii
nerire themselves ~ e cbae+ I tho wi, WIN
ernT1an ~ do r3oot onv ot tne so oI1
thing ~ escano naT;r.a , :av o.,ei , U1d
no,+Gy haoa,sd ~
E nnf snffcioo+I,, 49, ~, oe eiie ouoJuoV
ba,,s;,,a IT. -, civ eoii.pl
- LOT l. hra,dod "a 'n n,, WIZ ste"ts
tb;ef Pr tha h aI 30 N'e ,,,n' as asa d
steals hi, tav I'M ~; , -; ma" n,;th WIZ
ac+1ol rnoe"h ~ iHIn In teitiiei a, ~
roas ~, ' r. H. ~ ~ aa W W SReah'
by ev W ,I ;,,stira tie g Pay, Wnele-
ciare he o,,oht Va - ~ o'se't - we ue
tent;arv AID saw, w tp up A. d'e PEN,
tenLiaiy anu serve Ilrle' ANA the law
nrehanSi,o o ono o,os eiiou Vt anu COIL
SSnch e npoaoa el'uusn 10 puI MN mere.