Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-30
CALLS ALDERNEN TO ACT
ON TAX LEVY ORDINANCE
President Adams Fixes Special SEES
sion OF Board for To-Mor-
row Night.
WELL DISCUSSES RAISE
Says City Must Choose Between
Small Increase in TaXntion or Def
cit OF 100000 at the Beginning
Of 1917.

| President Adams of the Board of
Aldermen last night issued call
for special meeting OF that body
! at o'clock tomorrow night to
take from the table for action the Fl
nance Committees ordinance fixing the
| tax levy for 1915 II the measure
should be passed ut this meeting. 1t
could go to the Common Council for
concurrence at it's regular meeting
! next Monday night
! Members OF tho Finance COMMITTEES
lsst night emphasized the Importance
OF an immediate passage Of the ordi-
nance liking the tax levy The whole
machinery of the commiss ioner of tho
revenues and collectors Offices IL was
stated. is being held up. since no
charges or tax bills can be made out
/ FOR this year until the tax levy Is
fixed
GROSS CTrl- RATE
WOULD DE SI.S5
! The ordinance now on the table in
the Board of Aldermen provides for y
rate of s1.I5 on real estate tangible
personal property and rolling stock
other than that of steam railroads. and
FOR the year 1915, an added tax of 10
cents on the 500 on real estate and
improvements for street purposes This
would make the gross, city rate SlS5
In addition to this. however. the
state VIII levy Il l0-ccnt tax for school
! purposes. While this school levy is
independent of any rate that may. lie
fiHod by the Council. and is therefore
independent of the city tax rate prom
or. the passage of the pending ordi-
nance In its present form, will mean
that real estate will, during 1915, at
least, he taxed Mt an aggregate State
anu city rate OF $1.95, an Increase Of
20 cents on tho 800 over the Joint
rat" paid under the old tax system.
Whatever the faults OF the segrega-
F! ton system. the city at this time faces
q choice between n slight Increase In
the tax rate or n big deficit mt the end
of the year" said Councilman Fred "
! Powell. member Of the Finance Com
mittcc. last night.
PROHIBITION CLIPS 100000
FROM REVENUE
The income from saloon licenses is
iaiiing or daily. BY the end OF next
100000 at one clip Tho loss Of the
| rolling stock tax took another $4,000
away. These losses have to be made
good 1t Is my belief that unless the
Smaii increase In the tax rate proposed
In the ordinance is approved. the citv
VIII at the beginning of 1917 face q
deficit OF approximately 5000, 900.
That would he the deficit if tho
| Council should insist upon scaling the
city rate to S1.S5 In order to make tho
total rate, counting the Decent State
levy. sl.75. as 1t was before the tay
system was changed by the General AS
I senhly. don't believe the Council will
he so shortsirhted as to countenancc
such thing. but there Is no doubt
about the deficit that would result II
II should.
! ut should be borne in mind that the
7 u-l,I nh
/ nlttee proposes shall be levied on real
estate and improvements Is to be spent
only for street improvements That
! means that the benefits will flow right
back to the subject that is taxed, since
: real estate values are Immediately af-
! feCte0 by imnrnYnd strcnts,,