The environment of formation of world outlook, including economic views of Volodymyr Navrotsky have been characterized. The aim of this publication is to study the views of Volodymyr Navrotsky on importance of taxes in the processes of economic development of their adaptation to modern conditions of transformation of the fiscal system in Ukraine. The scope of scientist’s interests in the context of the various aspects of economic, social and working life has been considered. It has been shown that the economic views of the scientist were formed on the adherence to the labor theory of value and phisiocratism, raising the importance of industrial development factor. At the same time, the scientist was keen on the ideas of socialism, but came to the conclusion that in the field of real-life socialism is impossible. Specific justification of tax system by Volodymyr Navrotsky and its impact on the living standards of the population have been revealed. In particular, the rate of house-tax has been characterized - before the reform (chinsh and class; chinsh housing – something for which the owner must pay the government annually). Much attention is paid to details of houses taxation of the time and the study covers different aspects (Vienna, Lviv, Brody, etc.), various types of settlements (villages, towns, including cities), the working principles of the commission for the evaluation of houses, in particular the notion of "depreciation and repair interest". Besides housing tax, scientist’s views on issue of land taxation have been covered. It has been found that excessive taxation of the peasants led to a debt in the first place before the money-lenders, and as a result virtually a quarter of peasant’s land was owned by them. A concrete calculation of the "lordly" and "peasant" soil taxes were given with scientist’s assumption, that first was estimated at a much lower price, and as a result even higher tax burden was imposed on peasants. Further research will be aimed at justifying the relevance of the views of Volodymyr Navrots’ky in modern conditions of economic development of Ukraine and the continuous improvement of its tax laws.