Milford chronicle., 1916-07-28
TAKING AUTOMOBILES.
Editor of The Chronicle:


. propriate to state the reasons for theil
- decision and to explain several points
It in connection Herewith.
It In the first place, the Board is
, charged with maintenance of the
4 schools. The curriculum is specified
by the State Board of Education. To
- maintain the standard required, it is
necessary to employ competent teach
9 ers, a principal and a ianitor. Then
\ we have to provide new books and
: make repairs. At the present time
we are installing a new boiler in the
+ old school building, because the old
boiler was inadequate and was pro-
e nounced dangerous.
Last year we were obliged to build
two new rooms. This became neces-
sary because as many as sixty pupils
were herded in one small room under
one teacher, their health endangered
and efficiency impossible. So serious
was the condition that some of the
educational authorities warned us that
unless we relieved this condition our
dividend might be withheld The new
building was erected, and had to be
paid for; and, besides, all the build
ings required repairs and painting.
In addition to this, there is bonded
Indebtedness, contracted when the
school buildings were erected, of |
which only $4,000 has been paid, leav-
| ing a balance of $4,000. That is Sc |
cured by the property of our people. |
The annual interest on those bonds
constitutes quite burden, and it must
be met
This gives some idea of the obliga-
tions resting upon the Board. Three
years ago the members determined to
take up a bond for 81 900 each year
This was done for two years, when
it was no longer possible, on account
of extraordinary expenses. In looking
the ground over, we felt that the per
capita tax was as high as it should j
be and that the tax on real estate and
personal property should not be in
creased But there was class of per- /
sOnal property that had hitherto not !
been assessed. That was automobiles
We learned that Dover, Newark and
other towns require a tax or motor 1
cars, and we submitted the question to
our attorney Mr.. Ridgely, as to wheth
er such an assessment is legal. He
replied in the affirmative, citing a case
decided by the Superior Court of this
State. This decision was in a suit v
against the Board of Education of the il
own of Newark when that body first n
assessed automobiles. h
In view of this decision it is a ques- h
ion whether the Board would have a,
he right to exempt automobiles. If
he question were raised, it may be u
Ioubted whether we could compel cne G
nan to pay a tax on his horse while
We exempted another mans automO- b,
ile. N
But as to the justice of the tax,
here is some line of argument against 81
aging any sort of tax. Indeed many n
1ill support the proposition that all
axes are robbery. But as practical n,
uestiOn OF raising revenue, why r,
hould the man who owns a horse pay Pl
rom three to five dollars tax and the
nan who owns a motor car pay moth r
lg? And why should the widow who at
WINS COW, and who sells a little III
lilk to her neighbOrs as a source Of
lcome, pay a tax on the COW, while D,
ne cars that thunder past her door m,
ay nothing? Why should a man who
as three or four horses to hire for w
very pay fifteen to eighteen dollars
TX. while another man who does an do
Iual business with a jitney goes 30
-UAA-AA GGs vi why ouOuAu tic Lluu MI
it'll a pair of mules, which he uses
II hauling, his only source of income, Re
ay $500 tax, while another with a da
otor truck that will haul Eve times AZ
J much, is exempt? And why should ve
lother man who now pays $500 tax,
no sells his horses and buys motor tiv
lrs, cease to contribute his part to-
ard the maintenance of the schools? ba
But it is argued that the automo- dc.
les already have to pay a State tax. 40
hat may be true, but that doesn't
lip the schools any. Besides, all ole
her property, real and personal, scI
lys three taxes, county, town and
hool vic
We have farms lying within the WI
hOol district. Every horse with Cb
lich the farmer tills his crops, every
w that yields him a little revenue, %
valued and tax is paid on it, to ,
ppOrt our schools. The owners of w;
OtOr cars cannot graciously object 80
carrying a little bit of this burden. F,,i
In levying this tax the Board has 49,,
led to be reasonable. 1t takes only g
small percentage of the actual value ha,
a car and allows for depreciation -,
ch year. A new car that costs 1000 y
assessed at 1215qo of its value, and oct
the regular rate pays tax Of $3.50. o1i,
it has been used year, it is assess g.;
at 1910, and pays a tax of $3.50. y
it has been used two years, it is
sessed at 10 and pays a tax of pa
Is. If it has been in use four years,
, tax is $2.25. Many. cars are cheap
ranging between $4OO and $500.
t US take the case of a car selling
$500. The first year the tax is Tn.
50, the second year S2.25, the third nle,
ar s1.5S, the fourth year S1.13. IN m
It is estimated that the revenue de- Dre
ed from this source will not exceed snd
20 to 5000. And this sum will be ire,
piled to the maintenance of the In
FOOLS, or to a reduction of our bond fas
indebtedness. Wit
Objections to this action, can be tro,
sed on only one of two motives; and
her there is the wish to increase the Tbf
rden Of tax on those already bear -"
/, it, or it is thought to be desirable ints
greatly limit the work of our him
tools, in order to avoid the automo- givl
e tax. This is written not in the mai
v of apology. but in exclamation of Kin