New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-13
NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE.

NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE.
The Mayors committee on new
sources of city revenue has performed
. useful service in giving systematic
consideration To the various means 10y
which the city may add to its income
and i'm making Il report which may
serve for the guidance Of the city
when il seeks 10 increase its revenues
The report will not he popular No
one ever attained popularity 10y recon-
mcnding new taxes. Its recommends
tionS are unlikely to be adopted soon.
That is the history of reports on taxa
ton. Moreover. many Of the present
recommendations have often been
made before and. although regarded
with favor. have not yet been adopted
How many times has it been said, for
example. that the city should tax bill
boards. and how often has that SuS-
2eStion been applaudcd. Yet, unless
It's renewed recommendation 10y the
Present commission brings il nearer
no progress has been madc toward
adopting it,
But even if these proposals. "r many
# them. fail of adoption the report
will have served Ia call public auHn-
ton sharply To the fact that the rapid
Increase in municipal expenditures mas
brought the city face Ia face with III"
possibility Of radical Innovations III
taxation. This commission has maj"
an exhaustive study Of sources ui 'l'F
revenue. yet il is able to find none
which promises much additional III
come cxccnt a tax on the uncarncd III
rrcment Of land values. This proposal
with its partial acceptanc" OF IN" SIN
Gle tax theory. is less open To ohl"'tl"n
than tho proposal which has been
urged upon the Legislature for Scv'raI
years 10 shift a large part al the Ouf-
den of taxation from buildings f." ANA
That. if adopted. would have led to TIE
complete adoption # Henry Georges
plan.
This one is not likely 10 de- -. hut
its adoption would lac Il recognition al
the theory that the community should
appropriate part Of the values Whirh
Il * said that the community creates.
This idea is full Of temptations 7"
community under pressure to hnd new
sources Of city revenue. II l. rdpdhI'
of being used opprc>Sively. II shout"
Ia, I,.ri-llf .fl,t'
careful consideration For the M
earned increment tax ~ proposed II
may he said that it would tend I"
shift the burden of taxation partly
toward property that could best AFFORD
10 bear it-numely. property that i in
ToaSing in value.
This proposal Of the comni>Nio" j.
its most novel. interesting and impor-
tant suggestion for increasing rcve'
lurS. Most Of its other recommends
tions contemplate more bll>incSSiikc
methods of administering the city'>
property. such aS. for example. an am
fual In place ~ a single initial charge
for the use uf space under the streets
and the leasing of concessions ut auc-
ton instead of by private lease. The
proposal to reduce the personal tax 10
3 mills and do away with Offsets i
the latest form which the attempt 10
deal with this hitherto mcollcrtible
tax has taken. We think the commits
sion might better have recommended
us abolition. for that end ought 10 be
kept in sight. The proposal to i'll
crease the franchise tax seems 10 us
Of doubtful value. 1t is better to get
service out of public service corpora
lions than taxes. The two are not al
wis consistent. The rest Of the pro-
rosals are Of less importance, though
Tor the most part excellent.