New-York tribune., 1901-08-15
TAX RATE PROTEST FUTILE
MUNICIPAL, AsSEMBLYAIEN POINT OUT
ITS EXTRAVAGANCE IN A
MINORITY REPORT.

The Republicans in the Municipal Assembly
yesterday made vigorous but unavailing pro-
test against the high tax rate reported last
week by the joint committee on finance Of the
Council and Board of Aldermen The Assem-
bly, met at noon to take action on the tax rate
for the several boroughs. AS soon as the roll
was called Alderman Goodman offered reso-
luton to reconlinit the tax rate report for
further consideration until August 21. A warm
discussion was followed by the defeat OF the
resolution and then Mr.. Goodman presented a
minority report, which read, in spite OF the
opposition of some Of the Tammany members.
The minority report declares that the asser-
ton made by the Tax Commissioners that the
high tax rate is mainly due to mandatory legis-
Iation at Albany Is false and misleading. AS
to the assessed valuations of property for taxa
tion the report says that while the legislature
removed from the tax rolls personal property
of banks and insurance companies to the amount
of 500 ASS, ,515. the operation of the Ford Fran
chse Tax law made an increase Of 73.OOO.0O0.
The difference is S43. .511, ,4S5, which the State
legislature has actually placed upon the tax
rolls of the city of New-York-" The report
then says:
trust Companies the insurance Companies and the
taxation of the surplus of savings banks will pro-
| of New-York pays 6467 per cent of the entire
este eeat Of f this st or Vheh o' With With Se
chis TsS law "a and thro1rh the reduced State tax
to the extent Of IS s9.72z o.
| The report attacks the assessments for per-
| sonal property. declaring that such assess
ments are lin greater degree than ever fctt-
tious." Alderman McInnesa added to the
! minority report a statement regarding the per-
| sonal assessments. in part as follows:
| PersonaI property assessments have been in
| creased 80 per cent to keep down the tax rate Il
these assessments had been Iair the tax rate would
attempt Of the Tax Commissioners TO shift response
budget l has increased. the county budgets which
are related to state expenditures and taxation have
! and year will have TO foot the bill We
| economical administration and the city receives a
dollars worth for every dollar expended The
minority demands an honest tax rate, not rate
fixed for political reasons.
Alderman Parsons said that since 1897 nobody
had been able TO find out what percentage of the
| personal assessments had been collected. be-
cause no report of uncollected personal taxes
had been published. He offered a resolution d
recting the joint committee of finance of thu
Council and Board of Aldermen to submit
report of the percentum necessary for de
fciencies on account OF uncollectible persona
taxes.
The motion to adopt the minority report wa
defeated by a vote of 80 to II. On the vote Il
adopt the majority report the Repubhcans DE
Cared that they voted for the report under pro
test The charter provides a fine Of 5000 70
each recalcitrant member Of the Municipal As
sembly if the tax rate is not passed by midnigh
OF August 81. The tax rate report of the ma
: tority was passed yesterday by total af1rma
tive vote Of 6S no negative vote being cast.
The tax rate for the several boroughs as give
by the joint finance committee and indorsed D
= | Deputy Controller Levey and President Feitne
G | Of the Department Of Taxes and Assessment
! | was as follows: Manhattan and The Bron1
5 S231733; Brooklyn. S2.3sS53; Queens. S2S0IO-
e and Richmond. S2.35191.