Milford chronicle., 1925-01-30

tached TO the income Tax Laws or delaware,
have been made, that it is difficult to believe
that there is even one man or woman in Della
ware who does not understand, why the filing
fee" was incorporated as part of the income tax
laws of this state. 1t is well known that every
man or woman who opposes this law resorts to
subterfuge and misrepresentation, to discount
or discourage its enforcement.
The three dollar tax called filling fee" in
the income tax laws, was created for the express
purpose to compel that part of the citizenship
of Delaware, who had for many years escaped
paying one cent toward the support Of the pub
lie schools, in which their children were edu-
Gated, to pay part of the taxes for this purpose.
Under the old school laws, real estate and per-
sonal property in certain forms that were tang
ible paid all the money by which the public
schools were operated; except that part COM
ing by special appropriation from the State
Treasury and the School Fund investments. The
man or woman without real estate, or tangible
personal property, contributed not one cent to-
wards payment of salaries for teachers, upkeep
of the buildings, or supply of the books beyond
a certain point. For this especial reason, the
three dollars were put into the income tax laws;
for, by it's payment each indiViduel twenty-one
years or more of age in Delaware, is required
to make return and pay the three dollar tax,
which goes directly to the public school funds.
In the City Of Wilmington where the greater
number of people who escaped paying taxes, be-
cause they did not own real estate or taxable
personal property, it was intended to make them
help support the schools each year to the extent
of three dollars; a very small sum to pay for
the education of even one child annually; but,
the newspapers of that city created an opposi-
ton which was backed by small politicians, and |
that class refused to pay the tax; fought it |
through the courts, until decision from the |
courts compelled them to comply with the law. |
In Wilmington there were nearly twenty thous-
and men and women, who refused to comply |
with the law when it was first made; but who
have since complied to very large per cent of
the total taxables In Kent County by reason
of lack of money to employ sufficient force to
conduct the work, and to a large extent with
out efficient effort being made to collect the fill
ing fee there has been very large percentage
Of the people who were not rounded up and COM
PEELED to pay the tax for the support of the pub
ic schools.
Under the old school tax laws and taxing sys-
em then prevailing, the colored people in ali
larts of Delaware, escaped payment of taxes for
he support Of their schools Under the filing
ZEE of three dollars, very large per cent Of the
,olored people have paid this fee and are help t
ng to support the schools; but until more /
complete force can be organized, this work will f
lot be one hundred per cent effective in any I
ection of Delaware. s
In Sussex County the Income Tax, which is
he filing fee tax, and which goes to the support {
f the public schools Of Delaware, found oppo- I
ition and that opposition very largely had it's i
rign at the county seat, where a few lawyers b
nd an occasional prominent politician, looked S
rise" and made discouraging remarks as to pay o
lg the filing fee. This situation was snapped t.
p by the ignorant and those who were not in a
)rmed as to the purposes of the law and it's S
lpport of the public schools, and by them re- o
Gated in all parts of the county. This famed u
Opular opposition against any tax and especial Il
against the filing fee tax. The small district
1liticians seized on the issue and created in al
any instances, strong political following on d.
e opposition to the school laws; especially the ia
ling fee tax, which the non-prQperty holders IL
Id non-tax payers objected to, because it COM in
,lled them to help support the schools. d,
The Democratic candidate for Governor in re
Essex County four years ago, was largely sup tt
,rted by that class of voters, because of his op-
,sition to the school laws; so it is expected D
at the opponents to any tax especially the fill OF
fee tax, will resort to Misrepresentation and at
EN- down right lying, to gain the satisfaction ps
dislodgment of tax officers; which is almost 10
ual in satisfaction, to escape from paying a OIL
st debt for education.
In Sussex County figures have been shown co
lich disclose the fact, that the taxable men vi
d women of this county for 1923 paid the fill as
g fee tax full one hundred per cent-the only I'll
unity that did this. For 1924 about $4,000 out tn
10000 registered voters, paid the filing fee in co
ssex County; these figures are not exact, but ur
proximate and shows that the people are sat la7
led to support their public schools to that ex- DO
1t, regardless as to real estate or personal en-
,perty taxation. ov
Not one penny Of the filing fee is paid to the pr
lectors as individuals as they receive stated pu
ary and expenses while travelling. Ho
III of this filing fee tax is for the att
port of the public schools and the law was 7
ated for this explicit purpose. No part of it far
IS to the county; and, for that reason, it is tai
Iected by the state and not the counties ure
he county collects the twenty-five cents on Ma
h hundred dollars of assessment levied upon eri
estate in all Of Delaware for support Of the cal
,lic schools, so that amount makes up the Clip
Il tax rate of each county against all proper ten