Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-03
MONDAY. JUNE 3, 1918
War Conditions Bring High Taxes.


Having set the city tax rate for III,
fiscal wear beginning July | 1918, nj s1.7;
on the 500 of assessment, which. whllC
not pleasing 10 many taxpayers, must hc
accepted. City Council seeks to Justify It's
sct in this behalf ny tho unusual condl-
tions brought on by tho war and the con
scuucnt abnormal demands With the
highest tax rate Wilmington haS had IN
MANY wears nj least. and the highest
assessment. the burden will h particularly
heavy on persons who own real estate
within the municipal limits, and, while
this is regretted. We must accept Coun-
ellis declaration that il Is necessary. and
all good citizens will have 10 grin and
bear IT,
Really. according 10 recent events
before Council it is quite apparent that
some OF the departments will not get what
they say they viii need for the year There
arc several departments, in fact that feel
now that they will not be able TO get
through the wear on the money allowed
IiSHl but u - t4t ttl Rdti4 Afit ~ ~
help share the burden with the public
and 10 regulate It's affairs according 20 i;s
means While u Is true that everything
that enters into any sort Of activity now
costs more than If did year ago, and aS
the cost Of living is beyond reasonable
proportions. salaries have To bc increased
in many cases. where they have been low.
but after all there Is no doub; that many
public servants will he patriotic enough to
be content with reasonable pay. especially
where they have hecn receiving extra
good pay heretofore.
The obligation Is on every one Of liz 70
help MAINTAIN and finance the city govern
ment Those Of us who are not directly
part Of the municipal machinery can DO
our ht in paving a little more money in
taxes than We have been accustomed 10
paving, while those of Us Who are helping
TO run the government no doubt viii have
10 make n little sacrifice in some other
way However, all who work for the city.
as well as those who do any other sort
of work. should have n living wage We
would be ungenerous to ask them 10 work
for less and that is one + the reasons why
we must pay little more Materials must
be had for street, water and other public
improvements. and as these materials arc
not only expensive but hard to get. We
must pay the bill
Council hoe ~ Coz 4I
needs Sl.7j tax rate for the ensuing wear,
and theoretically has said that that Will
suffice The burden is on Council and the
result Will show whether he estimate was
portunity 10 acquaint itself with condi-
tions so far as the city Is concerned than
anyone else and we are bound TO accept
It's judgment IN these unusual times al its |
face value. We may feel like grumbhnc. |
but al the same time we must realize |
that he unusual conditions Will have 10 be 4
met and that each Of Us must do our share +
The extra tax burden imposed upon Us I
as citizens Of Wilmington, however makes 4
us all the more watchful If the guardian,
Of our interests as citizens Of New Castle /
county. the Levy Court knowing OF some /
past extravagances, which demanded high !
county taxes none Of that can be practlced 4
AT this time, and ii Is therefore the duty
OF the Levy Court, with its high assessment /
to see that no more expenses are incurred |
than are absolutely necessary. and to see
TO it also that the county tax rate IS made |
as low as Is possible, IN order that our
tax burden will be lightened o some extent |
II Is, therefore, up to the Levy Court 10 /
see that our interests are conserved in |
this behalf During the war only neces- |
sary things should be done, only things
that will enable US to conduct our usual |
business affairs and that will help to win |
the war. Everything else, including all |
luxuries, must be eliminated and the tax
rate reduced to a minimum for our pocket |
books are now strained TO the limit