The Detroit times., 1911-03-21
s16. 50 TAX RATE IS
BEGINNING TOLOOK
IMPOSSIBLE
II Salary Increases Are Allowed,
Heavy Slashing Will Be Neces-
sary To Keep Figure Down To
Even Last Years Levy.
Park Departments Budget Trimmed
To Tune of $2ss,O 600, But Ferry
Farm Item Remains.

| The outlook Is rather dubious for
the $3.50 tax rate which Mayor
Thompson. in his inaugural message,
set as the goal to be attained this
year. AS matter OF fact, the com
mon council and the board of esti-
mates will have to do some unusually
heavy pruning to keep the rate down
to that OF last year, which was $l8.37
per $1,000. Assessor John &. Nagel
Is hopeful OF nothing better than last
years rate, in spite Of the fact that
the valuation will be increased about
$l2 100000 this year.
TO keep the tax rate down to last
years figures. and grant the increases
that have been asked for the firemen,
policemen and teachers, IL will be
necessary to prune over $4,000,000
from the budget" said Assessor Nagle
TO The Times.
IF the estimators can get the bud
get down to about $1O,000,000, exclu-
sive Cf the increases that have been
asked in the pay OF the teachers, fire.
meh and policemen, the increased val
uation will take care OF the latter. /
don't see how 1t is possible to get the
rate much lower than last years, and
II they are not careful It's liable TO
be good deal higher"
Assessor Henry Plass stated, Tues.
day, that the increase in land values
alone in the central district, exclusive
OF Woodward-ave., would be- about
100000. The central district COM
prises the First, Second, Fourth, Sixth
and Eighth wards.
AS yet the common council commit
tees have not made very deep cuts in
the $14.000,000 budget. Thus far they
aggregate about 100000. The coun-
ell committee on streets is now at
work and It's report will probably in
crease this figure materially. The
committee started out In automobiles
Monday for its annual tour Of the
streets. and the trip was resumed
Tuesday morning. Public Works Com
missioner Haarer going along.
The committee on parks and boule-
wards cut q total OF $236,194 from
the park departments budget, Mon
day. One of the big items left In was
that OF $135.000 for the Ferry farm.
The same item was in the board OF
education budget, but was cut out by
the committee on claims and accounts.
Aid Watson had II included in the
park department estimates as sup
Elemental SO that the city would have
control of the property. but the pur-
pose is to use IL for a school site.
Aid. Ellis and Lynch argued against
the item, but the other four members
of the committee present, voted to let
II remain.
The estimate of $6S,270 for resur-
facing Lafayette boulevard was cut
to $4,000, and the committee Topped
of $4,000 from the item OF $4,000
for similar work on the Grand Boule-
ward For playground adjoining the
Clara bathhouse the committee al
lowed $4,000. The commissioner ask
ed $4,000. The estimate OF $34, ,713
for for a sewer system on Belle Isle
was again cut out. This Is the third
consecutive year the estimate has
been submitted.
The committee on claims and ac-
counts dealt gently with the library
boards estimates, Monday afternoon.
The principal cuts we're as follows
New sites from 1925, 900 to $2l6, 900;
Michigan-ave. branch from $4,000 to
1900; Northwestern branch from So
900 TO $500; books from $27 500 tol
$4,000, which Is $4,000 more than last
year, the difference being allowed be-
cause OF the new branch Libraries. The
item of binding also was cut from $10,-
900 to $4,000. The total cut was $16,-
500.
The committee on health and city
hospitals has cut $19,4S0 from the
board OF health budget and S15,112.50
from the garbage budget to date and
Is only nicely started. II will tackle
these budgets In earnest Thursday.
The item Of s16,262 for the pay of
garbage collectors was pruned TO So
070. Secretary Mckinley, of the board
OF health, was denied an increase in
salary OF 5000 per year. He now re-
ceives $4,000. The health board asked
$4,000 for the care OF tuberculosis
patients and was allowed $4,000. The
committee will visit the contagious
hospital Thursday afternoon and will
make thorough inspection before
passing on the request for $250,000 for
additional buildings.