Milford chronicle., 1929-07-19
HOUSTON TELLS
FACTS ABOUT TAXES

In a recent editorial, Congressman
Houston clears up some statements
by writers in Wilmington papers.
He says:
Some of the Wilmington papers
are disposed to make a great deal OF
the fact that the City of Wilmington,
or rather the citizens of Wilmington,
nay most of the State Tax for school
purposes and that the citizens OF
Kent and Sussex pay only small
portion thereof. This is all very
true. In fact the present school
law was drafted for that very pur-
pose, to tax the wealth of the State
for school purposes-and why not!
The maintenance of schools by the
public is justified on the theory that
it is the right of the government to
tax the people to educate children
who otherwise would not be edu-
Gated. that they may grow up to be
better citizens. One is primarily a
citizen of the State. The qual1tica-
tions are fixed by State laws. Voting
is a State function regulated by
State laws. Public schools are es-
tablished and provided for by State
laws. One is a citizen OF state
first. To it he owes loyalty before
he does to his county, city or town,
:because the latter are only part
of the State and owe their existence
tn the State which established them
nv law. Therefore the making OF a
citizen. the education OF the chllu
is a State function, and the cltlzens
thereof are taxed therefor. 1t IS
inst as much the duty of a citizen
of Wilmington or New Castle county
to contribute to the maintenance Oh
the public schools of the State as II
is for a citizen of Kent or sussex
"The fundamental principle upon
which taxing for Governmental pur-
noses is based now is that cltlzens
ahould contribute according to their
ability to pay, that is their income
bance the income tax. 1t must never
he forgotten that in considering LAX
nrobIems ALL taxes must be taken
into deration-Federal, State'
County and Municipal-that is Clty
or Town. Some may cohtrlDuee
more largely to one than 10 an
other. Large land owners may hot
nav much income tax, but tney pay
more largely in proportion TO tnelr
wealth in County taxes, than the
income tax payer; for instance,
man who owns forty thousand dol
1ars' worth of farm land IN SUSSEX
county has been paying County
tax of at least four hundred dollars
annually. while the man who owns
sortv thousand dollars worth OF
stocks and bonds, If married. p@y1
four dollars income tax LOT scnUol
nurnoses. The home owner III tlie
town or city, in addition TO ms
county taxes pays a town tax also.
nrbo man who goes scot-tree uluer
our existing laws in this state 10
tho man who owns no real esCa.e
or live stock and whose income Is
not large enough to be taxaDie'
If the Wilmington papers wlsh "
;nvastieate this phase of the SUP.
iect they will find that Mos' u;I
these citizens will be founo III W.
mington. 1t would be lllumlhaOinss
to know just what proportlon y,
the school children in Wlimlns.oni
ore receiving their public scnool
;nutruction without cost 10 tnell
narants. and what proportion Oh tne
nonuIation of that city make no
ppoptribution whatever to the main
tenance of Federal, State, County VI
Gity government. The figures are are
oosilv obtainable, and we nope cne
Win Wilmington papers will so INQUIRE
before too severely criticizlng .,dU tne
people of Kent and Sussex Oa counSieS'
p~W poost of whom pay county taxes