The Princeton union., 1922-10-12

ANY FADS OR FRILLs OF DOUBT.
Full UTILITY, let us eliminate them.
and thus tighten the burden Of the
taxpayer.
Growth In Road Taxes.
in percentage of increase in
amount Of taxes, the levies for reads
and bridges lead all others, the in.
crease being 1876 per cent in the last
20 years.
I'm 1921. the total levies for roads
amounted to $21,e4o,e55, or nearly
1917 per cent Of all direct taxes levied
IN that year. To this amount should
be added $5,s1s,113, representing
taxes on motor vehicles.
''While the economic value of good
highways is conceded, their construc-
tion should not be pushed too rapidly,
lest the burden on the taxpayer be.
come SO great that it will retard de-
velopment along ether lines.
County Taxes Go Up.
"The increase in county taxes, ex.
elusive Of read and bridge levies, has
been quite large, though smaller than
for education or roads.
"City, village, and township taxes
also have grown. Factors entering
into the increase in cities and villages
are the extension Of water and sewage
systems, better paved and better
lighted streets, the improvement of
parks and Fairgrounds and better liv-
ing conditions generally.
"Inasmuch as the amount of town.
ship taxes to be raised in any year
s determined at the annual town
Meeting, the burden of town taxes is
nder the direct control Of the people
no pay them. If the burden is heavy
people themselves are responsible
r it,
Farmer Is Hardest Hit.
The growth in the tax burden dur.
the last five years has probably
1 felt more in the last year or two
che rural than in the urban districts
of the state, due to the less favorable
economic conditions prevailing in rur-
al districts. The farmer, having but
little to say in fixing the price of
things he produces, has not been able
to protect himself to the same extent
as the manufacturer or the merchant.
"The farmers tax burden, measured
by the exchange value of his products,
has grown extremely heavy in the
last year or two.
1T is worthy Of note that both prin-
cipal levies under direct control of
the people who pay the taxes-the To-
cal school district levies and the town
road and bridge levies-show a large
increase in the five year period, the
former amounting to nearly $50 per
cent and the latter to little over 2O6
per cent.
These levies show very conclusive.
ly that taxes under direct control of
the people Of the rural districts have
increased more rapidly than taxes
levied by the elected officials of the
different units of government.
ut is also worthy of note that Of
each dollar levied in taxes In the
rural districts last year and pay
able this year, education will re-
ceive nearly ~ cents and roads
and bridges nearly 35N cents, or
combined total Of about 76H
cents.
High tax rates are not always an
unmixed evil. They are often entirely
justidable, and frequently commend.
able. In many cases tho benefits de-
rived from the levies fully compen.
safe for high rates.
IF high rates are the result of de-
sirable and needed public improve
ments, and if the taxpayer is able to
meet the demand without finding the
tax burdensome, then they are prefer
able to low rates and dry rot.
'But If desirable public improve
ment will result in tax rate so high
as to become an oppressive burden,
then the making Of the improvement,
however desirable it may be, should
be deferred until the taxpayer is bet.
ter able to meet the extra demands
on his pocketbook. High tax rates are
not necessarily bad; oppressive tax
rates are absolutely bad"
Taxes Near Oppressive Point.
The governor stated that there has
been much passing the buck" as to
the responsibility for higher taxes,
and added:
mo single unit of government can
be charged with the entire response
bility. Expenses have grown in one
unit as rapidly as in another
However, regardless Of responsi.
bility, tax rates have almost reached
the breaking point. Whether the ex.
cessive rates now SO generally Pre-
vailing throughout the state are duo
to the expansion Of governmental
functions, or whether they are the re-
suit Of the insistent public demand