Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-05-06
Next Years (ity Ian Rate.

In these exciting times. with war inter
cSt AZ fever heat and the country stirred
To patriotic enthusiasm IN subscribing 70
the Federal government loan issuCS for
war purposes. il is somewhat dIulcuit Tor
TN, average ci,izen to keep a place IN his
h,sv mind for the ordinary affairs Of life,
among which prominent place always Is
given 10 the payment OF taxes People as
r,ile do not like to pay taxes Il seems Z"
The vast majority very much AKIN 10 CIV
ING something for nothing And 50 they
arc grudging in taN payments al ri times.
and generally furious when The nccds 81
the community are such ~ to comp"I the
administrators of local government to
make an increase N The tax rate
Al tins time, much To thcir disgust iac
taxpavcrs Of Wilmington are confronted
with the probability Of > substantial n
crease in the tax rate Tor city and school
purposes to bc provided Tor tho fiscal year
which viii begin on ,uIv ! next The pres
ent rate Is 81 - on Ia ooofaSsc-~mcnt.
and the average propc1.H todcr Will m
Sist that this rate Is high enough But II j,
said il will not he sufficient IL ralse their
revcnu, hat will be needed FOR conduct
ing next wear : administrative operations
and that II Will have 10 DC considerably
increased Chairman Robertson OF the
Civ Council finance committee. who is
giving practical and intelligent considera-
ton to the subject already has expressed
an opinion TO the effect that a substantial
increase in the tax rate viii be unavoid-
able And nc Is not gwen to wild guesscS
in a matter like this
1t will bc well, therefore, for taxpayers
to give a little serious consideration 20 this
subject. and So be prepared to pass fair
judgment on the action that City Council
may finally axe when it cones to determl-
nation Of the tax rate for the ensuing fiscal
wear They should inform themselves IN
respect of all phazcs o The situation 50
that when the increased taN rate Is levied.
hey viii rot cndcavor 70 tnd relief by
wildly dcnouncing tine CIV ouucll for III
ereaSIne taxes. but will be able o anaiyze
the statements pu for.ii bv Chairman
Rober,,on a. the inrlsten' demands for
expenditures IN the citv administration
during the coming fiscal wear and the
necessity OF higher taA ra'c ior ID pur-
pose of meeting them
Ii ought o be within the comprehen-
sion OF the average taxpayer whether the
CITY Council is right or wrong lnits prep
arations for meeting the demands Of a
wear administration. The budget 10 be
presented to City Council. before the tax
rate is fixed, will set forth every item Of
expenditure. The average taxpayer
should be able to decide for himself wheth-
or the estimate is unduly high or not He
should know the needs Of the city III re-
spect OF street paving, police administra-
tion, public schools and all other items,
and be able to Judge whether the City
Council, in its estimates and appropria-
tions, Is extravagant or reasonable
Probably the great trouble is that tax
payers for years, have not given the atten-
tion they should have gwen 70 this iInpor-
ant matter Most Of them are prone to
so along in their daily routine, consider
ing only their own personal business and
family affairs, without thought TO the
very important matter Of municipal
administration. Then. when the time
comes that the City Council must make
financial arrangements for the ensuing
year, and they are suddenly confronted
with the probability they Will have to pay
higher taxes for the coming year, they are
disposed to simply make howl, instead