The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1903-11-26
MREHW FIR MUEW

The Star today prints another interesting little Ia
bic Of figures which should be cut ont and pasted be
side the table published yesterday showing the rapid
~ increasing leyies required 10 the city under
the present unbusnesslike administration.
The Star said YESTERDAY that il would print figures
TO show that the value OF property IN the city has not
been growing IN proportion 20 the increased demand
for "a deray running expenses Of the city.
The above table shows this ia black and white.
You viii observe, Mr. Taxpayer. that in 1901 the
total assessed valuation Of property real and personal
in Seattle was Sl2oSoQ24 In 1902 It was S5i66S6s3
increase OF $500 620 almost exactly 20 per cent
In 1908 the properly value Of Seattle assessed
at Ss60-46z2 increase last year o only 5000
oI0, increase Of 9S per cent. total increase for
. the two years Of 3iS per cent
The figures given in yesterdays table showed that
the taxy levy for the city had been boosted from mills
in 100 I2tx mills ~ f9o2 increase OF s6H per
cent. Il also Indicated that the city council finance
5 committee whose estimates determine the amount OF
money Il will require the city each year grew
alarmed when these. figures stare them in the face
and did not dare make any further raise this year
the levy remains Al I25 mills
But Mr. Taxpayer Won have probably already no
teed wha, did happen. from the table given today
The revenues requrcdto the city increased
S2o3ooo from 1901 20 1902 from 1909 70 1904 the
innate of expenditure had jumped Sf.fs6ooo. This
also has frigttesed the men who spend the eitys
money and SO they went into the wholesale carving
business, with the result that while the wealth OF the
city has increased some 100000 during the past year
the city viii have only S2ofs o2oo9 10 spend for the
coming year or S24sooo less than last year
Doesn't there TO be something wrong. some
where Mr. Taxpayer when the eity's wealth incfeas
81 per in Two years and the tax lc,ies jump
over 81 per cent?
II Is only fair TO yourself TO haul ont your slate
pencil again and Try 20 figure out where such an
administration Of affairs viii lead to il continued few
years
Again. remember. Mr.. Taxpayer you are the one
that suffers the The Star has frequently shown
that the big corporations favored not only by the
assessor but BY the board equalization and have new
CT been known TO pay their just portion Of the run
ming expenses OF the government Therefore the in
creased tax levy hits YOU good deal harder in pro-
portion 10 what you than il does the big corpor-
atoms which abundantiy able 10 bear the in
creased burden than YOU
Now. just for moment. let's 60. back TO the land
pirates of Seattle otherwise known as the delinquent
contractors. Yesterday they owed the city in
forfeit money. 5000 Today this has grown to 81 S22
more than enough to establish city laboratory at
once equip il with all apparatus necessary test the
quality of milk and foods and drinking water used in
the city, and 90 this needed department of the
city for whole year
Mayor Humes has stated that il people will make
formal complaints TO him about the conditions Of the
streets aud negligence OF the street contractors he viii
investigate the matter
Engineer Thomson says the board Of public works
is afraid OF the contractors and dares try to
collect this money make the contractors live up to
their agreement
That's sample Of the sort of a business admin
straton the taxpayers of Seattle have to put up with
How do you like II?