The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-02-03

cause IN ls nAstrIpit~" v' t"-''
soniue
William y. Nreford a>alA1ant
secrptaar, of lar Bu4rd 0F ToHl
merce. SAYS city, state and county
taxes won't De- increased of the
new city ehart,r Let as see
The demand of tht cts depart
mcnts are nearly S29Uoo0Jo al-
geady This is AN increase oi SlV-
900 600 over What was raised by
taxation lash year when the lax
rate was over SO M tue $50 tDp-
00o il allowed uy tac adefmeu-
and there viii be TAO board ot esti-
mates 90 cut the Items dow H.
then the Tax rate Vill Boz $40
thousand
But Mr.. Wreford points, out
tnat the new charter puts imit
OF so as the taN rate tAis
means that tbe assessed vilua-
ZION must Dee raised Hugh Chai-
mers. chairman OF the citizens
charter committee. which includes
stvrfal prominent citizens OF
Crosse Pointe said on Jan. ls
that the assessed Naiuatioaetnust
be- raised
10 cet s20.00o.000 in taxes The
assessed valuation must be raised
from $500 600 600 as 81 stands now
To 81 900 900 GOO Thus every prop
erty owner must pay twice as
much taxes even though the rate
remains al 500
Detroit pays 81 per cent Of the
county taxes. IL DctroiTs as
scssed variation rs doubled her
share OF Waynes taxes VIII DO
increased 10 AT least 80 per cent.
and Detroits share OF the state
taxes viii be increased by Az
least 100000
Detroit S assessed valuation ~
the basis on which she pays her
state and county taxes and when
that ASSESSED valuation is IN
creased her state and county
taxes are increased and the peo-
Pile who live outside OF Detroit
get the benefit
In the first place, every one IA
miliar with city government under
the present charter. knows that each
department demands about twice ~
large badget as IL really gets. Each
year, several millions are Topped OF
the budget before il is finally passed ,
so, even II 500 600 600 is demanded, 1t
does not follow that ii viii be allowed.
matter OF fact. every department
expects that It's estimates viii be cut
FAR below the amount asked
Moreover, the entire amount grant.
ed for l.l4. which VIII be TAR below
Sz0 600. 600 will not De raised by taxa
ton. That part OF il which il Tor per-
manent Improvements schools, sew
ers. hospitals and the lke--Will be
raised by bond issues. In addition,
the Taxpayers Protective league has
failed utterly 70 note the credits
which help TO reduce the amount
spread on the tax rolls-the liquor Ii.
cense moneys and the primary fund
from which teachers salaries are
paid, ia part. So its argument that
800 zoo 900 must be spread ON the
Tax rolls. Is toolishly and malciously
untrue.
II follows, then. that the statement
that the citys valuation must be rails.
I'd 10 Sl000.000. 900 is equally untrue
In fact, neither the old nor the new
charter permis6 any such ludicrous
assessment. Both charters provide
that property shall be assessed at its
true cash value The Taxpayers Pro
tectiye league would be the flrst TO al
tack an assessment levied on "A yalua
ton or more than 400 per cent
Still further, the new charter actu
ally safeguards the members Of the
Protective league. by pro
yiding specifically in Chapter 9, Sec
ton 49,
The common council shall not ap-
propriate any moneys derived from
taxation for any permanent public i'm.
OF whatever kind"
That is 10 say. permanent improve
nents must be provided for by bond
issues; and extravaganza in this oil.
'ection is prevented by limiting the
bond issues to four per cent OF the
'aluation of property.
And In any event the size OF the
budget Will be absolutely in the hands
Of the mayor and the council
But OF course everybody knows that
he Taxpayers Protective league Is
Tot afraid that taxes will go up. Ii is
composed entirely OF friends OF Mayor
Marx. whose real fear IS that the may
IRIS machine VIII be broken TO bits by
he passage OF the charter and who
tut friendship for one man above the
,est interests OF the city OF Detroit
A student of ffth-grade arithmetic
AN do better figuring than the league
las done ia the matter OF the city $
share OF county taxes but OF course
he league did not believe that any.
,ody would check It's figures Il claims
hat n Detroits valuation were don
lied. its proportion OF county taxes
would be Increased from 81 per cent
o % per cent Now II Detroit Is pay
ng 81 per ceut. with a valuation OF
800 600. 900. the valuation of Wayne
ounty must be about $4,000. 900,
which gives valuation OF property
outside the city OF $4,000, 900 II De
roits valuation were raised 20 81 ,000,-
100. 000-as Il won't be-the valuation
II the county would then be $l,075,-
100. 0O0 The problem IS. What pro
portion OF Sl.07J ,000. 600 is 81 900 600
l009 The league says II is 80 per cent.
Applying ordinarY arithmetical princi-
lies, the true percentage Is found 20
,e 90. An error OF six per cent in
mch large sums is enormous but u
merely shows % what lengths the Tax
payers Protective league Will 20 in
Is receptions.