Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-25
CITY LICENSE TAXES.


II certain license taxes are TO be in
creased, as is proposed by the Finance
Committee of tho City Council, that act
will be a confession that retrenchment
and reform have not succeeded in bring
ing Richmond's expenses within its in
come
There could be no justification for in
sreasing taxes IL public expenditures
could be brought within the present reve-
nues. OF course, after every possible
effort has been made to cut expenses,
and there is still a deficiency in receipts,
nothing will remain bat for tho City
Council to raise license or property
taxes-one or both. But the community
will hardly be satisfied with an increase
OF taxation unless it is assured that the
work of rettenchment has been carried
as far as II may be safely carried.
Can the Council convince the public
Of this fact? Can it show that in view
OF Tie city's needs, each and every de-
partment, each and every employee has
been dealt with equitably and impair
tially2
The protest of the publc-school
teachers against a reduction Of their pay
derives great force from the statement
of the fact that numerous other city
employees who are receiving greater
compensation for work Of less skill than
teachers do have not been touched IT
all. And this is a matter that not only
concerns the teachers, but 1900 children
who attend our public schools. The pub
lie will not be inclined to overlook the
fact that the public-school session is to
be shortened in order to economic upon
teachers salaries.
And as for our merchants and pro-
fessional men whose license-taxes it is
proposed to increase, it cannot but be
supposed that they will utter an fndig-
nam protest Our information is that
ncense-taxes are already very high here
and that the effect Of this has been to
drive certain classes Of business out of
Richmond We think all thoughtful men
will agree that only at the last ex-
tremity ought taxes to be raised.
Nor viii any scheme of reductions re-
commend itself to public approval IN
less II be obviously fair and equal. At
present there is good ground TO believe
that many employees are Of the opinion
that they have been Disseminated
against. OF course, IN a work Of this
character. 1t is altogether hopeless to
expect to satisfy everybody, but it ought
not to be impossible so to legislate as
10 convince the disinterested public that
the City Council has faced the issue
boldly and done its very best to distri-
butte reductions with an impartial hand
1t is 10 be doubted If the retrenchment
schemes so far agreed upon Will be
sufficient 10 cover the annual deficit, and
IL Is, therefore, by no means certain
that they will be adopted by the Board
of Aldermen. If not; what then? Are
we 10 drop the matter for the present
and refer It TO the people at the next
city elections? II seems TO us that that
would be very unfortunate. 1t would be
q course which would invite the forma-
ton here Of an independent party
pledged to cut everything and everybody
until the deficiency Is covered.
We hope 10 see no such mistake made
in our city's affairs as was made in
our states affairs in 1879. when the De-
mocratic party, having failed TO dead
with the public debt in satisfactory
manner, was displaced, and the Read
1uster party was clothed with power to
act.
Al the same time we appreciate the
fact that our city Council has in hand
an exceedingly thankless and difficult
work. We are rather disposed to help
than 10 eyaticise members, and this help
we think We give in pointing out dangers
which should be guarded against.