The Guardian (And Evening with which is incorporated the west Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21st 1923. INCIDENCE OF BOROUGH TAXATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 October 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening with which is incorporated the west Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21st 1923. INCIDENCE OF BOROUGH TAXATION.

At the Borough Council meeting ltnt Frailly night,, when discussing the question ol a revaluation of the town, then* "ns a short divergence in the debate on the .subject of unimproved versus capital valuations. The Mayor'Stigmatised the. former (the system how in vogue heio) as something of a fetish, ami other speakers were equally antagonistic. It was in 11)01 that, the Hokitika Borough adopted rating on unimproved value as its basis of taxation. the voting on that occasion being 212 to 53. Again in l'.H2, the issue went to the ratepayers at a special poll, hut the former decision was upheld, the voting being 155 to 7 1 . tin neither occasion did the "Guardian' 1 support the proposal for the icason that it was lelt. that in a town such as this with low values, the revenue produced would not ho equal to rcqititcmenis. Ami the result, unfortunately, for the. town has justified those fears. Ihe civic income has been too low for the past two decades to meet the requirements of expansion which hits gone forward, and when for sixteen or seventeen years there has been no movement in the rateable value owing to the want of a- [evaluation, there is little wondering that municipal progress has

Ik'ciV rest i n-ted. Indeed, it is very quo>tionnMe in any com- whether tile increase- in unimproved values could he material enough to give any marked increase in revenue. Cnimpnned rating is on the lowest, or basic system, arid is less enhanced by increased or earned increment than any other form, just as annual values arc increased the most by natural or artificial means, The luilf-way house between the two systems, is the capital value—the total value ot the propeiiy. Probably the crcatcst relief the town could derive in the. nay of a revenue-producing valuation. would he the reliirn to a capital valuation—bur rids would he ter the niiepsvers ami not the Council lo determine. It would he for the ratepayers to initiate the scheme by petition, and it' the necessary number of signatures were attached, then a. foil tor the revision of the existing system eoidd be held. The mnttei is thus for the ratepayers to determine, hut the (<nm,.j| i-imill its- i t by giving a lend in promoting ihe petition and affmdiiig the ms essarv opponuuti of signing the preliminary dovument. The lesnlt i f the poll mild he gi>'. vniei'l by m" state of j-nhlie opinion on the qu- -t'en. It is for those concerned to study the matti'i tit nil its healings. First oi a’J, Umy have ro b-ar in mind the envious •oat that, bowever caretul Hie ele-tors mav he iri vhc ehoieo ot a Council, as a body the local authorili can (15 nothing without adequate revenue. Ou the present valuation, and at the present rate, the money raised directly from the latepayers does not suffice to pay salaries and attend In street uiaititimanee. Also, il is not on an

equitable basis, aiul is not- levied in mjvli a way that those deriving the greatest. benefit and in the best position to pay. contribute a fair amount. In the second place, in considering ways to provide more means, the ratepayers have to determine whether or not ratine on capital value would give Ihe most stable results. The bogey of the hospital contribution is sure to be raised, but there is not any legitimate reason why the Council (or the town for the matter of that) shoitVl s.’ek to escape a fair share 01 the cost, of maintenance, seeing that in the noon, tl’e Indl; of Ibe cost of maintenance is spent ill this vicinity, and the tradespeople derive the benefits. hinatly, there is the civic obligation to maintain. the munieipalty creditably and to eiisuie the necessary attention to all parts of tins town more money must be found, or the Conned as primarily responsible. will be charged with failing, to do its part. If the works are to be done satisfactorily tbo extra money required should be raised in the lairest way possible, and to that- end the incidence of local taxation should be reviewed.