The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-07-13
Cont Club Members Believe
Utilities Co. Must Pay
Higher Tax.
MEETING ATTENDED BY
MORE THAN HUNDRED
City Light Plant Suggested Sa.
loon License To Remain
The Same.

The meeting Of the Commercial Club
last night, when DR.. J. C. Vorbeck
asked that a committee be appointed
to investigate the earnings of the COM
panies and increase their license tax
in proportion to the license paid by
the business houses of the city. The
will appear before the City
Council Monday night to recommend
the result of its investigation.
The meeting was called last night
for the principal purpose of discussing
the new license tax bill, which was in
troduced in the City Council last Mon
day. Many recommendations as to the
increase and raise of some of the Il
cense taxes were made by the MEM
bers of the Commercial Club. More
than 100 business and professional
men, all members of the club, attend
ed the meeting. 1t was termed a joint
meeting of the Commercial Club and
City Council. Only two members of
the City Council were found in attend
anct, namely, Ben Binyard and August
Ruesskamp. The former remained
only few minutes.
A lengthy discussion followed the
reading of the section of the bill per-
tanning to the license tax of the water
and light company. Earl G. Granting,
proprietor of the st. Charles Hotel,
suggested that the city erect a mu-
nicipal water and light plant, and be-
lieved that this would afford a reduc-
ton Of the expenses for lighting and
water supply. He said other cities
had promoted such plants and had
been successful.
The new bill has increased the city's
revenue from the Missouri ssiblic
Utilities Co. for the supply 6s#gas
from S35 to 500 and the tax for elec-
trio power from 500 to 5000. The
revenue from the water remains at
$3.50, making 4 total tax of $3.50 from
the utilities company. Many believed
the tax to be too low and suggested
that the license be increased in pro-
portion to the amount the company
derived from the city.
The license proposed for hairdress-
ers was opposed by the Commercial
Club, and motion was passed recon-
mending to the City Council that this
tax be stricken off the new bill. This
action was taken after a motion ask
ing to reduce the license from SO to
IS year had been defeated.
After a long discussion, a motion
was passed to recommend a reduction
of the license on the street cars. Sam
Carter and President Leming pointed
out the fact that the street car COM
pany had operated with a heavy loss
and believed that a tax of $40 a year
for each street car was excessive The
Club finally agreed to recommend to
the council that this tax be fixed at s.
a year.
The license tax for pop corn ven
iers was also opposed by the CONNER
cial Club. The members agreed that
this license should be reduced from
SIS, as proposed in the bill, to s.
year.
Street carnivals were hard hit by
the Commercial Club. Upon sugges-
ion of Mercer Wilson, motion was
passed to recommend that the license
or street carnivals be raised to $50 a
lay instead of s25 as proposed in the
Jill.
Considerable discussion arose over
he license tax for contractors. Sew
,ral members were of the opinion that
he tax as provided in the bill was
,xorbitant. Edward Regenhardt, F.
". Keller and other contractors were
opposed to the various
fixed by the new bill, which
'lassifies the contractors and fixes
heir license in accordance to the
of business they are expected
o do in the city.
According to the bill, street contrac-
ors are required to pay tax of $50
year, and other contractors, as con-
rete, painting and building contrac-
ors are assessed lower than the street
contractors. Upon suggestion of Mr.. |
aegenhardt, the Commercial Club
greed to suggest that the City Coun-
il fix the license tax for general con-
FACTORS at $40 year and have the
theirs arranged in proportion to that |
Mayor Hirsch and City Counselor
inehans were the only officials pres !