The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-10-10
Is THE TAXPAYER BEING DE
CEIVED2

The following was published in
the Sykesville Herald, Independent,
last week:
Elsewhere tn today's Herald Sen
ator Warfeld, following up his state
ments heretofore published, i'm which
he has deplored and condemned the
high tax rate in Carroll County as
due to the utter lack of common
sense and business methods in the
conduct Of our public affairs, gives
some figures that are astounding.
He is tentitled to the thanks of the
taxpayers of the County for digging
out these matters and presenting the
facts in an. understandable way. He
holds that the increase of six million
dollars in our taxable basis, should
have produced ample revenue, at the
old tax rate of 81 cents, to have. fl
nanced the County-that is, the pay
ments OF all fixed charges and to
have provided interest and a sinking
fund for any necessary permanent
betterments.
Eat the old rate he shows that the
income from the new tax basis would
have been $233,O1O.57. This, with the
revenue derived from bonds, banks
and corporations, would make the
! income of the County from all
sources, $2S0,775.69, or an increase
of approximately 100000 over the
levy of 1917! Instead of meeting
unusual conditions by the exercise of
wise economy and sound business
principles, the Commissioners in
creased the tax rate Al cents on the
500, which was wholly unwarranted
and unnecessary. With the increas-
ed tax rate the income of the Coun-
ty was increased to approximately
$400, 900, or, to BE- exact, 1897 ,2S0.97,
an increase from all taxes, over 1917
of $171, 427.27! This ought to make
the taxpayers sit up and take notice.
1t has put an unjustifiable burden
upon them, which they ought to re-
sent at the polls.
Senator WarfeId's contention il
that if the affairs of the County were
conducted d. a prudent man con-
ducts his business, this condition
would not exist. That his previous
letters to the taxpayers have thrown
his opponents and their newspaper
apologists into confusion and placed
them ON the defensive, il evident
from tine flutterinE at Westminster
last week One of the papers charges
that the Senator is indulging in
''glittering generaIities,' and seek
ing to create "unimportant and fool
ish issues" If an increase in the
tax rate of 30 per cent in a single
year il an 'unimportant issue" then
it would b. interesting to note what
sort OF an issue would be regarded
as of real Importance We are of
the opinion that the taxpayerS will
not be deceived by this sort OF talk;
Tt certainly will not reduce the size
OF their tx bills. These are indis-
putable evidence OF the burden that
has been put upon them and be-
cause of which Senator Warffeld has
taken up the cudgel in their behalf
"The other newspaper apologist
for those responsible for the d.
plorable conditions existing IT, the
County today, complains that The
Senator has failed to take into &C
count the present conditions and
exorbitant costs" in charging that
the tax rate increase is not justifi-
able. Senator Warfield is not 9
fool. lie knows very well that ma
terial for building roads or school
houses costs more than formerly
He knows that supplies for the
County buildings cost more. But
what he holds is that the enormous
increase in the taxable basis, yield
ing largely increased revenue at the