Middletown transcript., 1915-01-23
OUR ASSESSMENT

Expensive anu dNCtulS nhuAhCA IA WhA~A
he counties in this state collect their
axes. It took the demand of the
sullding Inspector of Wilmington for a
ee of $500 for the furnishing of car
ION copy of his report to the Councils
# that city for the, use of the Levy
Court to bring some other of our news
papers TO an understanding of just how
bad the system is. Every Evening has
an editorial on the subject, in which the
weak suggestion is made that the City
give the Inspector an assistant and
make part of the duties of the assist
ant the furnishing of this information
to the Levy Court. While not express
ing an opinion on the matter Of an
assistant Building Inspector, that being
matter in which we are not interested
enough to inquire as to the need.thereof,
we do think that it is like so many of
the changes made in Della ware laws, in
that it does not go to the root of the
matter but merely applies local anes-
thetic to relieve the present paip. AS
we said last week, we have no well di-
gested or personal plan to solve the
problem, but are of the belief that the
present Legislature should provide for a
commission to work out complete new
system, one that would furnish means
by which the same basis of assessment
should be used in valuing house in the
city of Wilmington and house of the
same character and cost in the town of
Middletown. We admit that we are
favorably impressed with the Maryland
assessment law, which requires the
owner of real and personal property tc
make sworn return of the true value
in cash, not at a forced sale, to the
assessment board, who after an investl
cation and being satisfied that the re
turn is correct place just that valuation
on all property. 1t has well been saiC
that the amount of the assessed valua
ton is of little Importance so that tn
whole table basis is made on the sam
valuation.
: But in reference 10 the peculiar con
dition in Wilmington, where propertie
are changing owners almost daily, an
8 repairs and improvements made all tn
time, it is important that the count
0 assessment be kept up to date. 1t ha
9 always seemed to US that the simpl
1 common sense way out this situatio
e would be for the City to assess and co
n leet the county taxes. In other words
o the City has complete machine, and g
e present far more reliable one than tn
y county's, for the assessment of proI
o erty. Why should it be necessary
have five county employees to go owe
n and duplicate the work of the city en-
p ployees? Why could not the Council {
= Wilmington certify to the Levy Coul
.e of New Castle County the fact that tt
y assessed valuation of the City is
20 many million dollars? And carryir
I'd the same further, why could not tt
ID Levy Court then certify to the Coun'
z. that the county tax rate is so maj
to cents on the hundred dollars, and Il
n! City then collect the county tax at Il
he same time and with the same force
e. the City tax is collected, and the coun
" pay the City a fair compensation +
er the work done? The taves are laid
in the same classes of property, the Ii
r. in reference to rebates and penalties
e, practically the same in both cases. 7
on only advantage of the present system
that it provides places for POLITE
:es workers, who are not always chosen
he fhe;r presumed efficiency in office.
M costs the county no less than $1O,C
int annually to assess and collect the ta1
! a in the city, at least half of which col
leo be saved by the above system.
would be glad if the papers of the c
ad- would discuss this proposition and
el- certain the views of the people "
'ur think of these things.