Evening journal., 1917-06-25

NO GOLD-BRICK COUNTY ASSESSMENT BOARD.
nLACING assessment values upon property for mr.
4 poses Of taxation is important business natter.
The work should be entrusted to lere.hcaded BUSH
ness men who win base It upon high sense Of Jus
toe as between the county the one hand
and the taxpayers the other hand.
II is not work that should be made the pIaythng Of
politicians who have friends 10 serve at the expense Of
the great mass of the taxpayers
When the present members Of New Castle County
Levy Court running for Office they promised that
II elected, they would give to the taxpayers business
like administration. They should live up to that pledge
especially in the matter of the appointment Of the four
efOmty assessors authorized by an act passed BY The
last Legislature.
The last county assessment was IN round figures
s90O00O0O. We feel that most taxpayers win agree
that property valued at such large amount. which
doubtless is much below its market value should not
be placed at the mercy OF incompetent men whose chief
recommendation Is that they "good yotceettersv
for either the Republican the Democratic party.
Those taxpayers, no doubt want the Levy Court TO Sc
lect assessors who viii exercise the functions Of their
Offices without fear favor and with an eye single TO
the very best interests of the country and its property
owners.
An unintelligent or dishonest assessor can inact
much injury upon both the county treasury and the
taxpayers, ii he be disposed TO do It. through neoual
ties OF assessments. lie favor his friends with o,,
assessments and punish his enemies or the enemies of
his political makers with high assessments That was
one Of the curses OF the old county assessment system
1t was in EFFORT TO get rid of that curse and 10 hiring
about equality in assessments and taxes that the Leg
islature last SOrng passed the law provided for
County Assessment Board TO be composed Of four men,
beers, two Republicans and two Democrats. each As.
SCISSOR TO be appointed for years and TO receive
an annual salary Of $780, The appointment Of those
assessors was left 70 the Levy Court which Is composed
OF six Republicans and Democrat.
For almost three weeks the Levy Court Commission.
ers, who have charge OF the s9OOOOOOO corporation Of
the Now Castle county taxpayers. have been addlIur
around and endeayoring reach an agreement With re-
spec to the personnel OF the new County Assessment
Board And while they have been adding around and
being pulled this Uay and that way by aspiring polt
clans and rival candidates. The thousands taxpayers
whose intimate interests stake have been sitting
back placidy and permitting the politicians to scheme
to make the county for the next four years
partisan aud a political and not a business and nm
economic matter.
IL not our purpose to indulge in personalities but
the average taxpayer knows that certain men have
been mentioned for the assessorshps who are not 1T to
hive charge Of the fundamental financial matters Of
$500 corporation much less Of a s9OOOOOOO corporation
such as our county is today.
The duty Of the Levy Court is clear There are bus
"essuke ie'ei-hsaded men in county who are avail
A''c Tor the assessorshps should hunt them ont and
appoint uem and thereby please the taxpayers even IT,
80 o0"% 1t onend those politicians who hope 70
name The board and 10 control its work for the benefit
OF their friends and the friends Of their s,sna. 90
Tor the injury OF their enemies and of III. bv arm, 80
iaxnbles with which they have only a nodd,Dv =.
quantance- And meanwhile, those taxpa,ers who \.
not wish to have their interests impaired and ,ho,r
pockets rined through unequal and dishonest assess
ments' shonid assert themselves in every Levy Court
district and in the County Building.
sszainIy they have vital interest in preventing the
appointment Of goIdbrck County Assessment Board.