Evening journal., 1912-06-01
CITY TAX
RATEUPTHREE
CENTS THTSYEAR
Increase Made Necessary by
Additional Expenses, In
Guiding Special Election
COUNCIL CUTS DOWN
SOME APPROPRIATIONS

City Council last night fixed the
tax rate for the ensuing fiscal year at
81 SO on each 500 assessment on real
estate. OF this sum. S1.0S is for city
purposes, AZ cents for school pur
poses, and. three cents 10 defray the
expense attached to the special char
ter election being held today The
Democratic members. for no appar-
ent reason other than to try to make
political capital for themselves, voted
against the increase.
Councilman Stover. chairman OF
the finance committee presented a re-
port Of the estimated receipts for the
coming fiscal year, as a guide to max
ing the appropriations TO the various
departments and fixing the tax rate
at 81 So and after IL was read he
moved that 10 be received. recorded
and filed. The motion was properly
seconded. but before voted upon. Mr..
Higgins. of the Third ward, moved
TO amend by striking of the three
cents Increase. This motion was sec
onded by Councilman Mckeown OF
the Eleventh ward The amendment
was lost. however by a strict party
| Nolt. MI nluNti hhNhiNh N"' '"'
passed
In explaining the necessity for an
j increase i'm the tax rate Mr.. Stover
said that no one was more adverse 10
making an increase In the tax rate
r than he He said the finance commit
( tee had given the subject much time
and thought and that while the rate
could have been fixed az so or 80
b cents. TO make a grand stand play.
. as he put il. the committee could moi
make good at the end of the year. H'
q showed where the increase in appro
= priations for the ensuing year amount
4 ed to S50.59O, as compared with thu
4 estimated increase in tax on real es
v tate. which is $4,000.
d Mr. Higgins said the stand he too
was not grand stand play Hi
a considered that the increase In IN
y rate is a burden which would fal
l0l upon the poor people He said thor
n were persons i'm Wilmington worth
m half million dollars and did not pa
% tax on $4,000 of real estate. whof
10 holdings consisted largely Of NOR
ID cages on the homes OF the was
J. Garner. He considered that a mor
I'll equitable assessment would make a
increase I'm the tax rate unnecessar.
sr He said his opinion en- the uuestio
MI Of an increase had never been aske
m In any meeting Of the committee
"a Mr. Stover retorted that he ha
m always found the Third ward mem
Der free TO give an opinion withOu
being asked for H. Mr. Slower said III
increase was not made because h
wanted II. but because II was neces
sary He did not consider the three
u cents increase would be a great hard
ship on any one
W Mr.. Bilderback. Of the Ninth ware
n said that Mr.. Higgins should hav
a stated his objections In oommitte
~ meeting "Now, he knowB Il is 10
3 late" he added
Mr. Higgins said he had not ye
been given any reasonable ground 70
p the necessity Of an increase In tn
rate. He considered that the $4,000
increase in taxes on real estate Woul
more than pay for the election hein
q held today. He asked what had be
II come Of the suggestions TO make III
= increase ten cents in addition TO th
present rate
4 President Benson explained that Z
. no time did the committee enteriai
n any such increase and that the onl
, figure considered was the three Ger
Ia increase 10 defray the cost Of th
- special charter election
II Mr. Stover, at this point, eXplaine
\ the increase made in the appropril
,e tions TO the various departments f
m the ensuing year
Following the disposition Of NJ
p stovers report the appropriations o
dinance was presented and given /
% final reading. passed by a unanimol
Is vote and then referred to May'
d Howell for consideration.
q Some Appropriations Shaved.
IL The ordinance shows that the a
w preparations Of some Of the depar
CONTINUED on Second Page)