Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-09
Circulation Every 1AQ0Q
Evening Yesterday i lfOOO
Couof Municipal NIismanagemeni.


In an appeal to joint committee OF tiie
House and Senate at Dover for authori'y
20 be vested in CITY Council to impose
additional taxes upon the already heavily
hurdened people Of Wilmington, Mayor
Taylor. according TO printed reports
of tho proceedings, said the city Will lace
a deficit of half-million dollars at the
close oi the current fiscal year, June o.
unless some relief is afforded. And the
measure of relief he proposes ls Ia"
conierring upon the City Council au-
thoritv 70 lew local taxation IN various
forms other than the imposition Oh taxes
on real estate. No doubt IT is as apparent
10 Navor Tavlor as II IS TO all o'hers'
that real estate in Wilmington already is
taxed TO the limit of forbearance
Whether il makes any impression upon
our interested people-s people long ana
reprehensibly indifferent to their vitai
concern in good municipal government
or fails 10 excite even thor passing
;,torest Mavor Taylors statement
about the threatened deficit IN the city
treasury by June 80 is really startling.
Should IL materialire, it will be PROOF
az an amazing inefficiency and disregard
of charter provisions by City Council.
Under the provisions OF the city charter
IL was the plain duty Of City Counoii, a
wear ago. TO make full financial provision
for all the needs Of the city administration
for the fiscal wear now drawing near us
close. IL had in it's possession tull IN
formation as to the amount required lor
this purpose. az the revenue aside from
taxation Of real estate that could DC
surely depended upon, and OF the sum u
would be necessary TO raise by taxation
And il WAS its duty 20 fix the tax rate at
figure which would have brought about
this result. without incurring any rlsk
OF q deficit.
As no extraordinary emergency mas
arisen during the fiscal year 70 cause en-
unexpected and heavy drain upon the
citys supply Of money, the announcer
exnectation Of deficit Of half million
dollars is most extraordinary. Surely the
CITY Councils estimates for the hscai
wear did not involve the probability oi
such a result. Why, therefore, as the
end of the fiscal year draws near. IS there
a threat of such huge deficit? Clearly,
the City Council was either ignorant or
euluable when il completed the financial
arrangements for the current fiscal year
II this is not the case, was there dellber-
ate purpose to deceive the people by con
cealinc the real situation? This would
indeed be most reprehensible.
But. no matter what may be said IN
exclamation or extenuation, the stern
TACT remsins, according TO Mayor Taylor
and he should know-that the city IS
likely TO find itself half-rnillion dollars
behindhand at the close of business on
June so, unless some means OF raising
additional revenue should be hastily
devised and enacted during the special
session of the Legislature now in progress.
Navor Tavlor favors plans OF additonai
taxation. but already there Is protest
against such resort, and sound protest,
too. The people of Wilmington-with the
exception of the many who own no
taxable property, and who can only be
reached effectively and fairly by
capitation tax, closely collectod-are
already taxed more than they should be.
Representative McNabb presented the
real solution, the just solution, in an
indisputable manner, when, IN opposition
10 the imposition OF more taxes upon our
people. he said: "The people are taxed
10 death in Wilmington, il we got % per
cent Of the money we pay into the State
treasury. there would be no need TO come
down here and ask for further legisla-
ton"
True as Gospel In this declaration.
Wilmington is justly entitled 20 fair
share of the liberal revenues it annually
turns into the Golfers Of the State. From
lie payments Of State business licenses,
from its payments Of State income taxes,
from It's liberal contributions in all other
forms Of State taxation. it should be
allowed 10 retain fair proportion for the
needs Of It's municipal administration.
And the State, 10 all fairness, in justice,
should make this allowance.