Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-20
Circulation Every 1OI70
Evening Yesterday 1 INV
THURSDAY. June 20, 1918.


The Levy Court of New Castle county
after long delibcration, adopted a tan
rate for the ensuing fiscal year OF q
cents on the 500 of assessment. This Is
= reduction of % cents from the tax rate
for the current year, which was % cents
on the 500
II IS not, however, resultant upon a
policy OF retrenchmcnt and economy
that the Levy Court made this apparently
liberal reduction in taxation. Indeed,
many taNablcs. on comparing the next
wears tax bills with those for the wear
now closing may find they viii have TO
nav larger sum in taxation, not lesser
sum This viii be by reason Of the very
materially increased property assessment
Tor the ensuing fiscal year
During the fiscal year now drawing 70
an end. the Levy Court paid particular
attention 10 the matter Of property
assessment. Having lifted the county
tax rate to % cents on the 500, the
members Of the levy Court doubtless
realized they had about reached the limit
Still, they had an itching desire for
more money to spend. liow 10 raISc
additional money without making .
higher tax rate Was their chief objective,
They found it in the very important
element OF assessment. The city OF
Wilmington had lifted property assess
ments IN startling manner by the
adoption Of new system Of assessing
property for taxation. and tho Levy Court
went after the citys system, and in the
end secured the right, for consideration,
to adopt il The result was that the
assessment Of property for county taxa
ton for the ensuing fiscal year showed an
increase Of more than s40,000.000 over
the total assessment for the current year.
With this enlarged assessment. the
Levy Court had encouraging leeway in
respect OF next wears tax rate. For
long time the members pondered over the
problem There was temptation 10 take
full advantage OF the largely increased
assessment and retain the tax rate at
present figures But along came the
City Council Of Wilmington with an
insistent demand for larger expenditures
in all lines OF municipal administration,
ncccssitating the raising of so much rev
cnue that decided increase In the city
tax rate was necessary And so the city
tax rate was lifted from Sl3j to s175
on the 500
This heavy increase in city taxation
undoubtedly had a hating influence
upon the members OF the Levy Court.
1t meant heavier taxation for the taxables
Of Wilmington, and Wilmington contrib
ltes the bulk OF taxation for county
purposes. 80 the members of the Levy
'ourt were impelled b give considera-
ion to the policy of lower taxation for
he county, in order to avoid imposing
an excessive burden upon the county
.axables of Wilmington.
And so the members of the Levy Court
decided they could make a reduction
IN county taxation, which they did by
.owering the rate from % cents 10 20
cents of the 500. With the largely
increased assessment, there is no doubt
The lower tax rate will produce sufficient
revenue to conduct the affairs of county
administration successfully throughout
he ensuing fiscal year, if honestly and
economically conducted If not il will
be the fault of the Levy Court It has
made provision for its revenues, and
should live within them.