St. Paul daily globe., 1895-10-06


bestir themselves, get together,
watch the estimates, and insist upon
cutting them down, then they will
have lower taxes.
AS to the method, none seems
fairer or more likely to be efficacious
than the process of horizontal re-
duction. When an attempt is made
to save a given amount by appor-
tioning it among the different depart
ments according to a vote of the
council, each one makes a desperate
sally to save his own. In the end,
the burden is shifted to those that
have least political influence, which
are not seldom those most deserv-
ing That system has been tried and
failed. If, on the contrary, there is
any burden to be borne, any hard
ship to. be shared, all should partiei-
pate equally. If we take the esti-
mates of expenditure as given by
the controllers report for any one
year, and assume that all of the
appropriations are reduced by the
same per cent, then all are treated
fairly, and none is crippled beyond
its capacity to endure. If the peo-
pie of st. Paul are in earnest in
asking for lower taxes, let them unite
i,, i
the coming year shall be reduced
by any sum that they may think
necessary and practicable, from per
cent to 25, below those stated in the
expense accounts of 1894 This is a
simple and feasible road to lower
taxes.
The city salary account, as far as
it consists of salaries fixed by legis-
lative act, cannot be altered, under
the decision of the district court.
We have never doubted that this was
true, under the present system Of gov
ernment by Legislature, and it may
be assumed that the decision will not
be questioned. But, after all, exces-
sive as some of them undoubtedly
are, the total of city salaries cuts
little figure in the total city expenses.
Taking the statement of the city
controller, in his last report, of the
amount necessary to be raised by
taxation, and excluding from it the
salary list, the certificates of indebt-
edness, the interest and sinking
fund charges, and some other items
which cannot be changed at the
pleasure of the council, we have. in
round numbers, total of say $780,
900. If this were reduced by 10 per
cent, it would save $4,000. This
would work reduction of about one
mill in the tax rate. If it were to be
reduced by 20 per cent, the tax rate
could be cut down 2 mills. What
ever change is made in the esti-
mates, all around, will give a cor
responding relief.
would declare that this cannot be
done. That it would necessitate cur
tailment and retrenchment in all di-
rectionS is obvious. And vet, if
any man shall take the detailed re-
ports which we have published, and
compare the expenditures in st. Paul
with those of the other cities, he
will become convinced that from 10
to 20 per cent may be saved in these
particulars without lowering the
efficiency of our public service be-
low theirs. The proof of it is in the
figures themselves. It would be bet
ter did it not need to be done. But
as between the difficulty of limiting
expenditure and the necessity of low
ering the tax rate on present assessed
valuations, there is no comparison.
This is the road to lower taxes: as
much lower as the people may de-
termine to be expedient and safe.
Our comparison with other cities
proves it feasible. We have shown
how the burden of it may be dis
tributed equally among all the In
terests involved. 1t will not be done
unless the taxpayers make them
selves heard and insist upon it. They
can secure it if they will. Their
remedy is in their own hands. Will
they use it?