Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-23
SI.20 CITY TAX RATE
FIXED BY FINANCIERS

Continued from PAGE Ono
said, were arrived at by looping $4,000
from tho budget estimate overnight After
he had read his estimate, showing n surplus
of $4,000 left by adoption of the Sl.2O rate
Select Councilman Ira u. Garman, of the
Forty-slXth Ward. and Common Council
man John II. Baizley, OF the Thlrty-ninth
Ward, asked him II II would he possible to
Skin through" with a S1.15 rate.
"Only by borrowing" replied Chairman
Gaffney "The committee has carved the
rate as low as It possibly could. At Sl.20
II is down to the bone. We cannot pay as
we go II we reduce 1t to S1.t5. We should
then have Il deficit of 100000 and the only
way to remove that deficit would be to
borrow 1t. We pledged ourselves-the May
or and Ito go to the Legislature to get
relief for the property owners"
Mr.. Goffney concluded by pointing out
that in the event deficit was wiped out
by borrowing the city would pay not only
the principal but eighty per cent besides.
This was contrary to the Administrations
pay-as-we-go policy, he declared.
Further mild opposition was encountered
from Common Councilman Fred Schwartz,
Jr. of the Forty-sIxth ward. and Select
Councilman Edward Buchholz, of the
Nineteenth ward. They recommended n
$1.25 rate, but later voted for the S1.2O
rate.
Just before the meeting Mr.. Seger gave
Indications that the Penrose-Mc cNichol fac
ttOn would not DlOcR the measure IOF n nlBn
rate by declaring himself in favor of
$1.25 rate. His opinion was based on
Chairman Gaffney's figures, which. before
their revision and correction, showed slim
margin over expenditures
Previous to the meeting of members of
the finance committee to take up final dis
cussion before including rate In the bill
that will be favorably reported to Councils
this afternoon, Select Councilman Harry j.
Trainer was in secret conference with SEN
ator James p. McNlchol and II was rumored
that an outline for an attack upon the ad-
mlnistrations plans was decided upon. This
fight 1t was said would be wHged with a
view to having the Controllers surplus item
of S1,41O, 900 included in the revenues, thus
cutting the needs by fully nine cents worth
of the rate value
Councilmen Trainer and Seger were ex-
pected to lead the fight against any large
Increase In the rate on the ground that
should the surplus and all possible revenues
be included In the count no large increase
would be needed other than to give the ad-
mnistration a big surplus that could be
used for politically strategic moves during
1917. They were also counted upon to lead
any opposition that may arise in Councils
next Tuesday, when the tax rate is taken
up for final passage
Five reasons why the tax rate should
not be increased are given In an open
letter sent to the Mayor, TO the presidents
of Select and Common Councils and TO
Joseph p. Gaffney, chairman of the Finance
Committee of Councils, by a special COM
mlttee OF the North Philadelphia Real Es-
tate Brokers' Association.
The committee which signed the letter
consists of George Beck. Ernest Berry.
sylvester A. Lowery, G. A. Wick and
Charles II. Won Tagen, chairman.
The members offered as their first reason
the argument that the act of April 1874,
under which the tax system Is regulated
was antlquated and not adapted to present
conditions. Methods OF assessing real es-
tate I'm Philadelphia are unjust and in
tolerable," according to the second rea-
SON"
An increase in tax rate will result in
higher rents. thus affecting the working
class, II is argued. Upon completion of the
hlgh-speed transit system there will be an
exodus from the city to the suburbs, IL the
people are buTdened by higher taxes. This
was the fourth reason"
The fifth reason" declared that higher
taxation was not In accord with modern
thought and that an increase would be OF no
benefit TO the great mass of Philadelphia.
The concluding paragraph OF the COM
municaton read:
Finally. We desire you to give this let