Milford chronicle., 1928-09-28
PLAN BUREAU ON
TAX LEGISLATION
Taxpayers League In Dover To
Keep In Touch With Government

1 technical information and advice tt
, members and committees of tn,
= State Legislature; watch pending
legislation and keep the public in
formed on legislative matters.
This, and other plans, including
the establishment of finance code
in cooperation with the Delaware
Bankers Association, were discuss
ed last night in an address by Ed
ward w. Cooch, president of the
league.
The league decided to set the
minimum dues at S.. 1t was also
suggested that members contribute
l per cent of their State taxes as
dues to the league.
Announcement was made that
both the Republican and Democrat
ic candidates for Governor had ex-
pressed interest in the work of the
league in it's scientific analysis of
taxation and State funds with the
problems of efficient expenditures
involved. Each candidate was de-
clared to have stated that he would
be glad to have the cooperation of
the League in gathering and study
ing facts bearing on the State prob
lens during his administration.
Russell Ramsey, director of the
league, outlined the accomplish
ments of the organization since its
formation two years ago.
Election of the board of trustees
to serve during the ensuing year re-
suited in the following being chos-
en-
Wilmington, Mrs. Clarence Fraim,
Henry R. Isaacs, Josiah Marvel,
John S. Rossell, J. Edgar Rhoads,
David Snellenburg, H. C. Stout,
Mrs. A. D. Warner, and Charles
Warner.
Rural. New Castle county, E. w.
Cooch, ]. Warren Marshall, John
M. Mendinhall, ]. P. Wright.
Kent county, F. G. Bancroft, w.
w. HynsOn, Henry Ridgely, and
Charles P. Thornley,.
Sussex county, Louis a. Drexler,
Thomas R. Ingram, Samuel ]. Mes
sick, William V. Sipple, DR.. Joseph
B. NAPLES, and J. Emory Wiley.
The fullest measure of cooperation
with public officials as an aid to
problems confronting them was de-
clared to be the continued policy of
the league for any work it may
undertake in the future by Mr..
Ramsey, who asserted that it will
continue to report essential facts
about the government to the tax
payers of the State to the end that
Delaware may have more alert and
enlightened citizenship.
Since its formation on January 8,
1927, the league was declared by Mr.. !
Ramsey to have taken great strides |
in its three-fold purpose of making |
scientific study of problems in !
volved in State, county and local |
government, cooperating with public !
officials where this was welcomed |
toward the solution of knotty ques-
tons in administration and report
ing to the taxpayers the essential
facts about their public affairs.
That the States system of finan-
cial accounting and reporting is in
was declared by the speak
er to have been disclosed through
by the league, although the
fault does not rest with any now
living. Mr.. Ramsey declared that
here exists no published report of
he State of comprehensive finan-
3ial statement of the various gov
eminent functions, with the same
condition true of the methods used
n the three counties, and fifty-odd
cities and towns. The ,
budget system of the State was also a.,
aid by Mr.. Ramsey to have been :
Ound wanting, with no set stand
rds Of economical operation. These i
deficiencies, Mr.. Ramsey said, have :
cen brought under the focus of the =
ublic through the league.
Much of the leagues study, it was
rought out, has been. given to the
tate's sinking fund, one of the
east understood financial institu- p
ions of the State. The custodians =
this fund, Mr.. Ramsey said, now 9
ave through the league, a clearer +
of the funds adequacy. 4
lie said that a very considerable n
lrplus exists in this fund not real "
ed before analysis. =.
Proper use of this surplus, with
ut increasing the annual burden on =,
lie highway fund for interest and c,
mixing fund charges, was said by v
lie speaker, to have been revealed =,
7 the league which showed that h
-ery cent of the States outstanding Il,
ghway bonds can be retired in
'out twenty years with a big say -
g to the State. w
Despite revelation by the league
1920 that sufficient resources ex-
ted in the sinking fund, credited to
lscellaneous bond issues, to have
divided for redemption of all mis-
llaneous bonds still in existence,
e State was declared through tax
ion to have been putting into the
liking fund considerable sums of
)ney for the redemption of these n
nds. Moreover, the State will au-
continue to collect taxes
this unwarranted surplus, unless
next Legislature changes the
v, it was declared. The fact is,
. Ramsey said, that on June 80,
", there was in the sinking fund
re than $S82,000i of assets speci-
ally to redeem less than 1921, 900
these miscellaneous bonds.
While partially occupied with the
)ject of State finance, looking to-
I'd future improvements in our
,al system, the League has en-
sed in number of minor activi-
s." he said
We prepared for the last Legis-
IRE a plan for the centralized
of State supplies, based
the best practice in other States,
ich, if adopted, is estimated to
e the State $4,000 to 100000 a