Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-18
DIVERGENT VIEWS OF
LEADERS

city Administration leaders are back OF
a movement 10 frame a ripper Dill py
which the state Legislature Is expected TO
grant TO City Councils the right 10 formu-
late n system OF tax assessments and by
which the present Board Of Revision OF
Taxes viii be ousted from Office.
The power of Mayor Smith and his po.
litical associates, the Governor and the
Wares will be brought into play to pass
the bill when the Legislature convenes u
was learned today from men thoroughly
conversant with the policy OF the city ad-
mnistratlon The support assured TO the.
measure through the Mayor and his back
ers, heartily In accord with his views on
the valuation question, makes virtually GER
tain its speedy passage.
The opinion In political circles today,
when the news OF the ripper" became
known, was that the tax board had dug its
own grave, was certain TO fill II and should
have no sympathy.
The trouble. politicians say, has been
that the tax board was not progressive. In
1t has been vested full authority TO make
assessments Of every jot OF real estate in
the city; It has done IT, New systems OF
taxation have been devised-the Somers
system among them-but the tax board
has continued to do business in its own
antiquated way.
BOARDS POWER ARBITRARY
Being appointed by the Board Of Judges
and responsible TO no one, It even went
50 far as 20 take TO court the Somers sys-
tenn when that was planned to succeed the
present method of valuation. The board
won, the Court decreeing that Councils had
no right to interfere with the rights OF the
board. The decision today Of the city ad-
ministration 10 introduce the ripper" bill
Is the sequel to years OF dubious under ana
oYel assessments.
In addition TO this the Mayor is sincerely
desrous Of placing the city on cash"
basis. Although he refused TO state today
whether his plans for raising money IN
cluded a more equitable assessment plan,
Il was authoritatively stated that the
ripper" bill was looked upon favorably
by him as a means OF raising additional
revenue.
At present the financial outlook of the
city TX not promising, unless means are
found to raise revenue without additional
borrowing. Department estimates for 1917
were S44 900, 900, $4,000 900 more than they
were first thought to be interest rates and
sinking fund charges for the Sl04 900, 900
bond Issues, for general improvements, port
and transit, must be met and other financial
troubles must be adjusted
The ripper" bill, from estimates OF ad-
minlstration flnanclers, will wipe out these
difficulties. with the question of assess-
ments in the hands OF Councils. there will
be n system, II the Mayor adheres to his
original plans. of fair and just taxation
a system Dy Wnlcn "A sum- lTOIf
50 OOO, 900 to $5.000,000 annually. will be
available for use. This win provide for
the increased budgets Of the city depart
ments II will take care of the interest
rates and sinking fund charges on the
mammoth bond issues and II will relieve
the financial condition Of the city.
FOR CASH BASIS
The financial hand -to-mouth" existence
OF the city borrowing. Is not, II is said.
pleasing to the administration. An increase
In the tax rate was at first thought to be
Inevitable, but the statements of advisers
OF Mayor Smith in regard to the ripper
bill bring 10 light the fact that perhaps the
Mayor is certain that the city can pay it's
way II IA r assessments were the rule and
not the exception.
The members OF the tax board, which Is
virtually responsible to nobody but itself,
are Simon Gratz, ]. Wesley Durham and
David N. Fell, Sr. II has been said that
the board taxed owners OF homes to the
fullest extent and allowed bigger properties
to be put down on the books at a valuation
far below their real worth. These claims
were substantiated by articles in the
EVENING LEDoER last week, exposing the
antlquated system. I'm which II WAS sho wn
that properties we're offered to the Govern
ment at cost far in excess Of their as
sessed value.