The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-09-26
county
THE TAXES

The following editorial was pub
lished in the Sykesville Herald, last
week:
Senator Warfield, in his letter to 4,
the taxpayers of Carroll county, pub !
lished in the Sykesville Herald last !
week, has centered the attention Of
the people on the fundamental issue !
in the coming electiOn-the question
of taxation He insists that with
practical business methods employed !
i'm the administration of our county |
affairs, there would have been no
need for an increase in the tax rate
this year OF fifty per cent-in other
words, with an increase of more
than six millions of dollars in our
taxable basis in two years, the old
rate should have yielded money suffi-
cient to have met all legitimate run
ming expenses of the County and pro-
vided for road and school improve
ment. Instead however, the tax rate
advances to keep pace with the in
crease in the taxable basis, yielding
a revenue larger than we have ever
had, and without giving any con-
spicuous return. In addition, a
heavy burden has been placed on the
people. And at the same time the
School Board has been obliged to
bring it's program for the better
ment of our school system to halt.
Nothing is being done in this dlrec-
ton now, for the reason that the
County Commissioners have virtually
repudiated a solemn agreement with
the School Board, under which stat
y ed sums were to be expended yearly
for a period of five years in provid-
f,n ~ "a
the County Commissioners withheld
the money to permit the finishing OF
improvements already begun, but have
refused to authorize the interest
money in case the School Board
negotiated loan 70 enable these
projects to be finished. The Herald
has too often discussed the need of
!, Improved school facilities to make It
necessary to 60 over the ground
again That the situation in this
County is d7plorable and disgraceful
is we'll known to all citizens. 1t
could not we'll be worse and. have
any schools at all. 1t will take
wears to remedy it, by the applica-
ton of business principles, hard
common sense and wise economy.
1T never would have existed had
these principles been applied on the
mart OF the County Commissioners.
The responsibility is directly theirs,
because they have TO provide the
money for maintaining the school
system. What they have given has
been given grudgingly and with -Daa
grace. They have manifested ~
sympathy with the desires OF TIE
people for improved school, facilities es
whatever differences may nave
arisen between the School, ts0aTn
and the County Commissioners as
to the exact policy to pc pursued
here and there, were not or a. email
acter to preclude settlement on
reasonable basis. They should nave
been settled, and could have been
sattled. had there been q dlsposltlon
to adjust them on the part Or ths
Commissioners Instead, so far ais
onr observation goes, there has Deen
nurpose to antagonize the pro-
GRAM for school betterment and
+hen 70 shift the responsibility for
bringing the whole thing to a halt\
4aRusiness principles in the conduct
of these affairs, would have founf
reasonable adjustment OF any oil.
ferences OF opinion or p0lcy' H
thare has been genuine desire m
serve the public interests and the
nuhIic schools. The lack OF these
PRINCIPLES and lack Of this desire,
arc no blame for the middle in Wnlcn
w. now find ourselves. The Heralu
has no doubt. LIN the meantime, tne
Fact sticks out that the increase III
~ taxable basis should have pro
T;1ad ample funds, with perhaps