The Savannah morning news., 1902-12-13
CITY TAX ORDINANCE
COUNCIL WILL BEGIN WORK ON 1T
MONDAY.
ESTIMATES COME NEXT.
ALDERMEN TO DECIDE ON TAX
RATE FOR 1903.

Effort VIII BE Made to Have Tax on
Brewerfes Raised From $500 to
SI.OOO-ReaI Estate Agents, DeRi-
ers in Futures and Operators of
Cotton COmpresses Want "A Reduc-
tion-After Tax Ordinance Has
Been Agreed Upon Estimates Will
De Gone Over in Detail.
For the purpose of fixing the city
tax levy for 1903 and for going over
the estimates handed in by the various
departments, so as to arrange for the
appropriations for the coming year, the
Council Will meet in caucus Monday
night.
Mayor Myers announced yesterday
that she first meeting will be held at
that time. There will have to be at
least two meetings before the tax ordi-
nance and the estimates can be gone
over. It has been customary to take up
the tax ordinance first, and it is prob
able that the aldermen will devote
their attention to this matter at the
first meeting.
So far as is known it is not the in
tention of Council to increase any spe-
cific taxes. with the possible excep-
ton of the tax on breweries and rep
resentatives of breweries. An effort Will
he made to have this tax increased to
at least $1,000. Under the present tax
ordinance it is $500. The consolidation
of three of the breWeries means clear
loss of $500 to the city unless the tax
is raised. A member of Council who
was spoken to about the matter said
that he is in favor of raising the tax
and it appears that an increase is
likely.
City May Not Lose.
While it is argued that $500 will be
lost by the city unless the tax on
breweries is raised there are some who
doubt this. They contend that the
fact that the Savannah Brewing Com
pany absorbed the Georgia Company
and the Herman Winter Company does
not mean that only one of the brew
cries will be ta1ad.
1t is argued by these persons that
the three breweries are still here and
that a tax of $500 can be collected on
each. In the event that the amount
is not increased to $1,000, or some
larger sum, this point will probably
be made, and the city attorney will be
asked to render an opinion.
The aldermen will be kept busy at
the first meeting and will probably be
in session for two or three hours. At
the last meeting of Council three petit
lions were read, asking for the reduc-
ton of certain specific taxes. These
matters will have to be considered by
the Committee of the Whole when the
tax ordinance is taken up.
want Reduction.
A request is made to reduce the tax
on brokers buying and selling futures
on margin. The tax is now $1,000,
and 1t Is claimed that 1t is much higher
than in other cities and beyond all
reason. Real estate agents ask to be
relieved of the tax of $50 required of
those who collect rents, and it is sought
to have the tax of $500 on cotton COM
press establishments reduced to a more
reasonable sum. 1t is not known Just
how Council will take these matters.
There will be no meeting of the
board on Tuesday night and 1t Is pro-
bable that the second meeting will be
held Wednesday evening. At that
time the estimates of the several de-
partments will be gone over carefully
There is bound to be shaving and
those departments that ask for an in
crease will not likely get all the money
that they want.
Some of them, however, will have
their appropriations increased. When
the estimates are being considered the
aldermen will be called upon to decide
whether the tax rate should be ex-
duced or the surplus should be ex-
pended in purchasing land for opening
streets. The members of Council will
be busy set during the coming week.