The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-28
TAX MAY
Be HELD DOWN TO
LAST YEARS RATE
County Court Committee Will
Begin Figuring on Financial
Needs Next Week-State
Rate Higher Than 1918.


The county tax rate, which was sf.SS
Ast year, may be held down TO the
same figure this year, although mem
Ders OF the tax rate COMMITTEES OF the
county court admit that II viii take
some close figuring.
II Is always the case that the vari-
Gus department estimates are made I'D
with the maximum amount brought
prominently forward, Sometimes these
estimates can be trimmed. There are
certain fixed charges that must be met.
suoh as interest on bond issues, and
tne estimates for the general expense
namdied by the chairman Of the county
from wnleh average about the same
This year the county commissioners.
VINO expend half Of the taxes appHo-
prlated to what Is known as the gem
erai Y and all the money for roads
me bridges, are asking for several hum
year.
The appropriations for the county
commissions expenditures, for 1918 ag-
Eregated S4SS, 3es. This Is divided as
For general expenses, 14-mill tax,
22h -mill tax, $24S, $50, and for bridges,
s-mill tax, sS7,3Ss.
Roads Need Work.
Road building and resurfacing are
Things that must be done, say the com
missloners, and roads cannot be built
without money. Comparatively little
work was done on the roads last year,
yet the appropriations were exhausted
py November. New gravel contracts
nave been let and new gravel Is being
spread onSmany roads, and some of the
more important pixies are TO be re-
olied THIS summer. A number Of bridges
mnRt Also hA FanQ inad anA tkat n1an Ia
claimed as a necessary expense.
The teachers of the county schools,
IKE those OF the city, think they should
De paid better salaries, and to do that
higher taxes will be needed.
The county, like the city, receives a
taxes, besides the taxes which come
from the general tax aggregate.
The tax aggregate last year was for
county purposes, exclusive of the state
tax, $l,2SS,9s0, That was on an as
sessed valuation OF $l09, 238,3s0. This
year the assessed valuation is about
half a million dollars less than for 1918.
According TO. records In the chair
mans office, the privilege tax collec-
tions have been excellent for the first
quarter Of the present year, a~ggregat.
ing s559,44
81, 900, 600 on Hand.
The chairman's quarterly report,
which viii be presented to the county
court when that body meets on the first
Monday In July, will show that the
county had cash on hand in the vari.
Gus funds Of more than 81, 200, 900 on
May 81, the date when the report was
closed. This was from collections from
last years taxes, however, as the tax
for 1918 is not due until September,
and becomes past due after March /.
The county must provide for the pay
ment OF bond interest due this year,
and for some OF the interest due In 1890.
because Of the fact, that collections for
the latter year will be made too late to
use the money for the payment Of the
Interest due In January and July, 1890.
The county mas on hand In its interest
account, about Sill, 900. Bond interest
payments falling due this year amount
70 $to,775. Payments falling due In 1920
i@0OT r. & hat ' must be- BE- added e sSin in q fis satT;,
the money needed for bond interest
$25, 700, due In 1891, making a total of
$272, $50 that must be provided for out
of this years tax rate.
]. A. Heard, chairman OF the county |
court, estimates that a levy of Q cents
provided. That would produce about
$64. 500 or the assessed valuation Of ap- |
proximately 1903 900, 900 this year.
Due Monday.
The county commissioners will sub
init their budget estimates to the county 4
court committee Monday. When their
figures are in hand, the committee will |
be able to get to work on the various |
Items going to make up the entire
county budget.
Members OF the special tax rate COM
mittee from the civic and commercial
organizations OF Memphis probably will
meet with the county court commit
tee during the week, They have been
assured that the county rate will not
be raised, If there In any possibility OF
avoiding It, BY going over the figures
with the county court committee they |
win be able to get the data from which
the committee will work, and probably
will not have to make such an extern
sive investigation as has been made Of
the city's finances. This Is fortunate,
as the county court must fix the tax
rate during the July term, The court
will hold three meetings, however. a
week apart, and probably will not fix
the tax rate until the session on July
81, which will ALLOW ample time for the
members of the two committees to Sc
cure all data necessary for making their
1890