Milford chronicle., 1924-12-19
Ceontinued from nars ID

Of single persons are aS low o
lower than $500 annually. The ta'
on these persons are as low or lowe
than $500 annually. The tax ol
these persons is the same fling te'
Of So. or 81 per 500 on q $500 In
come. The same rate b applied u
the more fortunate married hOldc
Of a $4,000 income or the unmar
Vt@d holder Of a SA.7OO Income. Il Il
difficult to excuse the intervening
incomes, especially Of single persons
OF $500 TO Sl,lO0 income and mar
Sied persons OF $500 70 &2.9OO
who pay al only one-third this rate
The imposition of any tax oi
Fxed amount per person as part oil
< graded income tax law will result
u the unfadrneSs shown in these
examples. On this account, Il Is
n commended that the fling fee 0r
Ony similar tax OF fixed amount be
emoved from the income tax law
Ian Of Financing the School Build
ing Program
%. What is the proposed recon-
.nendation to the General Assembly
of 1925 for the rebuilding of schools &?
It Is proposed to request the Cen
eral Assembly OF 1925 to do four
things:
% Appropriate from the cash
snrplus now in the General Fund
S1,5OO,0OO to be used for school con-
strUction planned and sun during
the year 1925;
(2) Authorize the issue Of $2,-
100000 of Az per cent. sinking fund
school bonds to be held in the latter
p~rt Of 1925 or in 1926 to be used
for school construction planned and
begun during the year 10
(3) Appropriate from the in
come for schools $374,0OO for the
year 1925 and a like amount for
1926 10 be used to meet the interest
and sinking fund requirements of
the $2,OOO,OOO bonds but otherwise
available for use in school cOnstruc-
tion;
ca Make such changes in the
tax laws as will provide the required
SS74,O0 each year.
%. Is it not unwise to use such
a large part of the surplus Of the
general fund for school purposes?
The surplus exists through the
sractice of spending less than in
rome. 1t mas not accumulated for
my definite purpose and the State
ives nothing that should be paid.
:, seems wiser to spend part of the
surplus than to raise more money
y taxation or by sale of bonds.
Moreover, il this surplus is main
ruined, it must be held either as
cash in bank at a low rate of inter- |
st, or invested in bonds at a little !
higher rate, or otherwise invested |
to still greater advantage. What |
better investment can be made than |
{. build schools of good, economical |
design at costs known by expert
snce to be reasonable? Such in
vestment will return handsomely TO |
the State in the quality and value
of its citizens of the future. By |
this use of a portion of the surplus.
SS1,519 will be saved annually on
interest and sinking fund of bonds
that must otherwise be issued.
"a. Will the $2,00O,0OO bonds be
all that are needed for the proposed
rebuilding program?
No. but the General Assembly of
1925 need make no commitment be-
yund that amount and the General
!. ;sembly of 1927 will be free to
continue, amend or discontinue the
plan that is described in the follow
ing pages.
25. What increase IN taxes will
be necessary to produce the required
s374,OOO annually
An increase in income tax of one
half of per cent. without eXemp-
ton and an increase in real estate
tax of 8 cents per 500, making the
rate % cents instead of % cents as
at present. should produce this add
ed revenue. However. for several
reasons it is proposed to rearrange
the income tax law and not increase
other taxes, as will appear here
after.
26. How soon can the schools be
built?
If the State does not issue bonds
and appropriates $374,0O0 annually,
it will require nearly 20 years TO I
complete the program. This seems
too long to wait. Moreover, it IS
unfair to the children of the dis
tricts which must come last. The J
expenditure of such a small amount t
each year would be very W.steful {
and probably result in a material in I
crease in the total cost of rebuild
ing. A short time program will be &
the most economical and produce i
the quickest and most satisfactory &
results. 6
The Delaware School Auxiliary i
Association which has spent about S
S4,OOOOOO in school construction
during the past four years has come G
to the conclusion that not over ST.
900, 900 of buildings can be erected e
economically in a year-$1, 100000
in Wilmington and s1,OOO,0O0 in the
counties. Therefore, with the S9,- q
100000 available, it should require
nearly five years to complete all of !
the schools planned. -
, On this account the plan recon- -
mends that the General Assembly of
1927 finish the rebuilding work by r
the sale of $2,000,0OO &
bonds in the year 1927 and $780, a
900 in 1928. This would make the 4
total necessary bond issue $5,500,- h
600. 1t is also recommended that
90 per cent. of the total amount 8
needed, $1,94O,OOO, be furnished by II
the districts where the new schools Z
are built. fl
81 What has been demonstrated o
10 be the approximate cost of stand 81
ard school buildings in Delaware Ii
and in other eastern states? r.
There are two ways in which estf- il