The Chapel Hill weekly., 1931-01-30

Amid the general agitation as to
the oppressiveness Of taxation, and
the means of lowering the rates, why
should not something be done to make
the burden easier for the citizen in
the payment of his taxes?
The government permits the federal
income tax to be paid in installments.
Why can't town and county taxes
be paid the same way? ::
AS matters now stand, town and
county taxes must be paid by the end
Of January, all in lump, if penal
ty is to be avoided.
Now January is the worst Of all
months for the average citizens
pocketbook. Christmas, with all its
unavoidable expenses, is just over. In
January a host Of December and an
nual bills fall due. The heavens seem
70 open and rain down demands for
money. Sickness is apt to come and
increase worries. The skies are
mostly grey and the landscape is
bleak. Troubles multiply on every
hand
At this moment, down comes the
TAX collector with his cold, official de-
rnands for d whole years taxes.
Otherwise a penalty must be faced,
rising By one per cent. each month.
These demands catch man when
he is least able to pay. Consequently
delinquency grows and properties are
advertised for sale. The result is that
the town and county governments do
not get their money, and they become
loaded up with properties at forced
sale which no one wants even at bar
gain prices.
1t would seem that common obser
walton and their own experiences
would have proved to town and county
authorities, by now, that they would
be more certain Of collecting the whole
# taxes due by distributing the bur
den instead Of trying to get the money
in d lump.
It may be argued that three months
Of grace are already given, in that
taxes fall due in November, when d
per cent, discount is allowed, and
the taxpayer then has three months
in which TO meet his payment at par.
But this relief is small. The Novem-
Der discount seems trifing at time
Of year when other demands for
money are pressing. The result IS
that thousands Of people postpone
their payments, even in the face Of
penalties, fail 10 obtain the necessary
money in these tight times, and are
finally sold out.
All over the state people are losing
their homes and lands. Town and
county governments are putting them
ont on the road and the street The
list Of delinquents is enormous and
constantly grows larger. For the
first time in their lives, people are
learning how cold the hand Of govern
ment can be. They thought they own
ed their homes and property outright
and absolutely They are mistaken.
Their governments soon show them
that
No doubt, if county and town taxes
could be paid quarterly, clerical ex
penses would increase. But the
towns and counties could afford this
if they were thus rendered surer Of
getting the whole Of the taxes due.
1t is our opinion that they would
be surer A 500 tax bill is an OPP
pressive, and perhaps insuperable,
burden on a man who is already IN
difficulties But if he could make his
payments $25 at time, four times a
year, the burden would be consider
ably eased And the taxing authori-
ties would get money instead Of use
less vacant lots.
The towns and counties want their
taxes paid in cash. Therefore let
them make the taxes easier to pay.
What is the objection to taxes being
paid BY the plan that the United
States has found best-in install
ments?
Phillips Russell
1t seems to us that Mr. Russell's