Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-06
TOWNSHIP IS HELD
TAXATION BURDEN
Judge Lacy Declares 1t Is OBJ
Solete Government Unit
and Civic Parasite.

The township is a parasite on the
body of government, an obsolete unit
adding greatly to the taxpayers bur-
denS, and should be abolished. accord
ing to Judge Arthur j. Lacy, chair
man of the property owners division
of the National Association of Real Es-
tate Boards. The national property
owners division is for the first time
bringing together real estate owners
the country's largest group of taxpay-
erS with single economic interest
and uniting them in a definite pro-
gram for tax modernization.
In this age of speedy communica-
ton, of automobiles radio, telephone,
daily press and rural free delivery, the
township performs no needed function, "
Judge Lacy says. Like other vestigial
organs and parasites, the township
proves expensive. and its abolition
should be the first objective of our
group seeking lower property taxes.
With its small geographic area, the
township must have its full quota of
officials and departments. which it
often cannot support from its own
taxes and for which it draws On the
State revenues to maintain, with the
result that TIE urban property owner
must pay sufficient taxes to carry along
the old, obsolete township
Overhead Held High.
Judge Lacy contends that the unit
of government can now be enlarged
without any surrender of the principle
Of local self-government.
In Michigan SO cents out of every
dollar raised goes to pay the cost of
local government; only IL cents out of
every dollar goes to pay the cost of the
State government. What has been
grossly neglected is a lively attention
to tie reduction of the overhead and
administrative costs Of the units of
government-the townships, school dis
tricts, road districts, villages, cities and
counties. The units are too small.
There is a multiplicity of petty Offices
and a multiplication of costs. In Mich
igan there is a block of nine contiguous
counties with a population of less than
10000 and an assessed valuation of
less than 25,000,000, where they main
tain nine jails, nine court houses, nine
county farms. nine boards OF super
visorS of from Is to 20 members each,
nine sets of county officers. nine county
courts IA sets of township officers,
IA township boards. hundreds of school
districts and literally thousands of
minor officials. and a total Of at least
500 separate and distinct units of gov
eminent administering public affairs
and expanding public money. The resi-
dents of these rural counties struggle
under the heavy costs.
Recently two counties in Tennessee
were consolidated, with one set Of
county ofiiciels for both. cutting the
taxes squarcly IN half from $3.50 on
the hundred of valuation to Sl.S0.
Reaume Eacks Stand.
Judge Lacy declares that abolition of
townships would not only be possible
means through which reduction Of the
urban property owners State tciation
could come. but would likewise be an
effective form OF farm relief.
Backing up Judge Lacy's contention,
Leonard P. Reaume Of Detroit. Mich,
president of the National Association of
Real Estate Boards, in a recent public
address pointed out that within IL
miles of Detroit there are no less than
80 different units of government, each
unit leVying taxes ana maintaining It's
various departments and officials.
Figures given by Prof Simeon E. Le-
land, University of Chicago, tax con-
sultant for the National Associat ton of
Real Estate Boards, in an address made
before the recent Kansas City meeting
of the National Tax Association, like
wise substantiate Judge Lacys asser-
ton that the township as a govern
mental unit has outlived its usefulness.
THE attempt locally to maintain
governments where taxable capacity is
lacking results in Little net gain to
these governed" Prof Leland said
Political units of this type soon de-
generate. yet their existence is often
prolonged by does from the State.
In Iowa. for example, there are
1875 townships, in Kansas 1900, in
Ohio almost l.400, in Michigan 1876,
In Illinois 1927 and in Missouri 1929.
In Ohio the number of townships
within a single county varies from
eight to 2e; the area of each is about
80 square miles and the population.
outside of municipalities, averages I'M
der 1000. These governments. many
OF which cannot support themselves and
whose primary function has been the