Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-25
PROSPERITY
PROVED BY
REVENUE:
Municipal Treasury Will Have
$4,000 Unappropriated Sur
plus at End of the Year.

Impressive evidence of Atlanta's
prosperity is shown by the record in
crease of more than s1S,500, 900 in tax
returns for 1918 over 1912. 1t not
only is a greater amount than any
former years increase but exceeds
by approximately 100000 the in.
crease anticipated in the final revi-
sion of the city budget. With city
officials winding up the business of
the year the figures show an unappro-
priated surplus of about $3.50 in
Atlanta's income.
A compilation OF the figures was
completed Tuesday by City Tax Re-
Ceiver George Beauchamp. The total
assessments aggregate $173,327,427,
against S154S27,4S7 in 1912. OF this
amount approximately 1853, 800. 900 Is
made up of real and personally as
sessments Of private citizens and cor
porations, and $14000,000 in real and
personality assessments of public uttl-
ity corporations
The increase in assessments on
private property is s16,514,672; $780,
100000 for 1913, and s142,S05, 32S for
1912.
Public Utilities Increase.
The increase on public utilities, as
sessments on which are made by
State Comptroller Wright, is approx
imately 100000. The assessments
on the utilities for 1912 were s12,022. =
1853, He has not made a final addi-
ton OF the assessments for this year,
but a conservative estimate is that
they will exceed $4,000, 900.
Mayor Woodward and the Council
anticipated a substantial increase, but
pectations. When the January budget
was made up, Mayor Woodward pre-
vented the committee from following
the old custom of appropriating a
No increased revenue vas added TO
the budget until 1t was revised N
June, and then only the amount &C
tually in sight. When In October It
came time to revise the budget again,
the Finance Committee attempted to
include the total Of the increase in
revenue. The figures to-day show
that they failed by about $4,000, al
though there were demands far in
excess of the amount made available
for expenditure.
The city treasury, therefore. is
frund in a condition never known be-
fore Since the year is so near a
close, il is likely the money will be
carried over to the new Council TO
spend.
In fact, Tax Receiver George Beau
champ is making every effort to keep
the 7gures secret He has shown
them to Mayor Woodward and a few
friends. but only few of the Coun-
cilmen know of the situation.
Tries to Keep Figures Secret.
Receiver Bauchamp Tuesday re-
fused to give out the official figures.
When he completed them Tuesday he
locked them in his desk and left the
CITY Hall He said that Mayor Wood
ward had advised him to keep them
secret for fear members Of Council
might attempt to appropriate the
money for needed improvements.
Mr. Beauchamp, however is max
ing his last show OF authority. A
measure passed by the last General
Assembly abolishes his Office as a
separate department and makes Of II
a clerkship under the three Tax Re
ceivers j. l.. Harrison, G. u. Meador
and j. ~ Malone.
The figures given above, while not
Mr.. Beauchamps official figures, are
correct within few dollars OF the
actual amounts,
The phenomenal increase and the
assurance from the Tax Assessors
that next year also will show a big
gain will develop an interesting sit
nation when the new Finance Com
mittee meets to make the new budget.
Mayor Woodward will insist that no
anticipated revenue be appropriated
but there Will be such a heavy de-
mand from the schools and other city
departments that the committee will
be sorely pressed to loosen the purse
strings.