Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-04
A. BUSINESS TAX ROW
Partly Responsible for Delay on tho
Appropriation Ordinance.
MANY DIFFERENCES OF OPINION
Some Members in Favor Of Reduction,
but Not the Abolition.
The INCREASE IN THE VALUATION

From present indications the Finance
Committee will not be ready to report by
next Monday, and the proposed special
meeting of Councils for that day will proba-
bly, be postponed. Several reasons are
given for the change of programme. One is
that the Appropriation Committee cannot
fix tax rate until the Controller supplies
information desired concerning the reve-
nues derived from various sources last year
and the warrants outstanding, the latter
item being generally known as the de-
ficiency. The Controller has been In the
East for the past week, but is expected
home to-day, and will probably require two
OF three days to collaborate the facts and
figures desired.
Another reason given is that owing to
the adoption of the new scale of classifca-
tion adopted by the Board of Assessors it
will require several days yet to get an ap-
proximate of the taxable valuations of the
city. No one seems to have any definite
idea of how much this will increase the
total valuation, and Major Moreland's state
ment that two-thirds of the property here
tofore classified as rural or agricultural will
offered.
A Business Tax Dispute.
While both these reasons are no doubt
factors in the delay. It Is understood the
principal one Is that the members of the
Appropriations Committee cannot come to-
gether on Q proposition to recommend
part Of the committee led by w. A. Magee
wants to abolish the tax entirely. On the
other side, Councilman Kearing opposes the
proposition. he Is not as radical as some
other members, and Is willing to allow cut
of one-haif or one-third in the business tax
rate. The argument of those in favor OF re-
tanning the tax Is that it is legal, fair and as
equitable as any tax existing. Any tax.
a necessity for all that, and this one as much
SO MS any other. They maintain that there
are many firms doing business in this city
who own no property here, live In Allegneny
and benefits of the city's commercial stand
ing, As well as her local improvements, by
simply paying the business tax:
II 1t Is abolished they pay nothing. and the
revenue that they have properly paid must
be drawn on the property holders. They
admit TINT there are strong arguments in
favor Of abolishing the tax, but no more nor
stronger ones than theirs to retain 1t, and
which are supported by many OF the prop
erty holding business men themselves
W. A. Magee said yesterday: '1 think the
YAK OuSnt 10 De aDOilSucu anu IL Will Uo IL
can influence Councils to my way Of think
ing. believe there are already majority
Of members in favor of the proposition"
A Reduction, Not an Abolition.
A. F. Keating said: II think the tax an
equitable one, and while 1t might do no
harm to reduce it somewhat It should not be
abolished entirely. You will find few
thorough, going business men who will op-
The new classification rnle Of the city as
SCISSORS was not greeted with as much favor
as had been expected. There seemed to be
many who thought IL would not stand a
legal test. but the assessors feel confident.
Assessor Larkin, in discussing it, said: II
years ago. but was opposed by nearly
everyone. Those who have given the mat
ter consideration now agree with me. i
went to Philadelphia last Monday to SEQ
square miles, and their system of taxation is
essentially similar to Ours. The mode OF as
sessment, however, is different. They have
the city divided into 20 assessments districts,
and in each two intelligent, competent as
SCISSORS. one representing each Of the two
court, and each paid . salary of 81. 900 year.
They make an assessment every year, and
the valuations are kept at about 80 per cent
of the actual cash value of property. I
don't know what the total valuation of the
ours The Bonrdlor Revision, corresponding
with our County Commissioners or Board OF
Assessors, revise the assessments and hear
appeals, taking testimony from both sides
A member of the board told me on Wednes-
to court since the frontage system was
adopted. Philadelphia has fixed its tax
levy this year at 1885 mills, but there doesn.t
seem to be any dissatisfaction over it.''