The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-09-02


I took notice sometime ago that
more than 800 persons in Dare
County hadn't bothered about pay
ing their taxes, and had left the
rest of us to carry the load they
were keeping in their pockets and
which was long past due the coun-
ty, total Of something close to
sac, 900 this year alone.
Last year learned that there
was over 100000 besides this,
still on the books and had not
been collected, over period Of
ten or IL years, and was told
later that a large amount of this
money was now lost to the coun-
ty, because through the years
people have died or moved away
to the extent that their taxes
were uncollectible.
Now it seems, to me there can
be no defense whatever of a sys-
tenn, or lack of system which is
,manifestly so inefficient, or APP
parently has not functioned at all.
Can anyone defend this policy of
not making an effort to collect
taxes, while attempting to run
our affairs and pay our school
and other bills, on simply what
is voluntarily paid in by taxpay-
ers who feel some sense of pride
in their county and who have more
self-respect than to see them
selves posted year after year for
being delinquent in their tax OBJ
legations?
Now ask, Mr.. Editor, is this
fair to those of US who pay our
taxes, although we sometimes
must borrow money to do so?
Every person who pays his taxes
ought to keep list of those peo-
Pile, and keep them in mind
throughout the year. Are those
people worthy of our trade? Are
they worthy of our support for
public office? Why should we
taxpayers have to pay salaries to
such people now on the public
payroll, who have good jobs at
our expense, yet who won't pay
their own taxes?
The worst thing I see about
this, is that we put into office
men to levy these taxes, who make
laws to cause taxes, who are al
lowed to spend our money here
and there as they see fit, yet who
don't try to pay their own taxes.
We can go further, and find
hundreds of people in the list
whose livelihood comes through
income that has it's source in taxes
paid by the American people. Is
it not most amazing that they
should have the gall to not pay
taxes themselves?
l think we should always care
fully scrutinize every person who
has a public job at the expense
of we taxpayers, who won't pay
his own taxes. Just think about
the few hours they work; at the
many holidays, vacation time, etc.
they get with full pay; of the
additional money we pay for
them for retirement later. Does
anybody think about the poor
fishermen or farmer who works
twice eight hours a day, whose
income is all a gamble, who has
no chance for shelter from cold
or rain, or storm, while the folks
he tolls for are warm and dry in
side?
Now these folks who won't pay
their taxes are no more to blame
than the officials, sworn to do
their duty, who take our money
to do the job, and who just don't
bother to collect the taxes, SO they
can make friends to vote for them.
The officials are worse than all.
When you get 300 people in a
little county who don't have to
worry about paying their taxes
because those who are supposed
to collect them allow them to get
by so easy, naturally these kind
of citizens are willing to vote for
the kind of officials who give
them special favors. And that is
why they keep in office officials
who continue year after year, to
get our affairs in worse shape,
and cause our taxes to increase,