Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-03-05
TAX RATE NOW
THIRTEEN MILLS
Council Last Night Added
Three and One-Half Mills
to the Rate For 1918

Council in monthly session last
night raised the borough millage
from nine and one-half to thirteen
mills. With a budget of $4,000,
which is likely to increase, and only
prospects of receipts amounting to
$4,000, Council was compelled to
make the increase in the tax rate.
This is the first increase in ten years
and Councilmen are of the opinion
that with the adjustment in the val
| uation at the triennial assessme ent
next year the millage will drop con-
siderably.
The money supplied by the in
| creased tax will bring the total re-
ceipts from all sources up to only
| $4,000 the remaining $4,000 be-
ing in sight at the present time. OF
this amount $4,000 is accounted for
in the receipt of water rents which
were not collected during the year
1917. A slight increase in the water
rates to manufacturers will also
mean $1,000.
Company Should Be Taxed
Councilman Reider suggested that
the borough solicitor be consulted in
regard to levying a tax on the Har-
risburg Railways Company. He said
the borough should not be compelled
to shoulder these advances without
| assistance from any source when
the company is reaping the bene-
| fits from the borough. This sugges-
ton was approved by members of
| Council and a motion to follow out
the suggestion was passed unani-
mouSly.
A section of Swatara township, to
| be known as the Twelfth Extension
of the borough, was annexed last
night. An ordinance providing the
annexation was brought up on first
reading and passed second and final
readings while the rules were sus-
pended. The extension includes
about ten acres and contains about
forty building lots.
Open Disposal Bids
BY following out the advice of
Frank A. Robbins, Jr., general SUI
| perintendent of the local steel plant,
of dumping garbage on the COM
pany's property near the cinder
! dump, it was not necessary to pro-
vide means of disposal of the refuse.
Three bids on the garbage disposal
were opened at the session last
night. They were submitted by Hagy
Brothers, c. NJ. Rohrer and How
ard Magee, of Harrisburg, and
ranged from $4,000 to $1,000.
The finance committee recon-
mended salary increases amounting
to $3.50 a year. Five-dollar increases
were given to members of the police
| force, chemist and bacteriologist,
street commissioner, treasurer and
engineer. The superintendent of
the water department was given an
increase also.
New Water Rate
On the recommendation of the
board of water commissioners a new
scale of rates for manufacturers
using water was adopted by council.
The communication from G. w.
Roberts, president of the board of
commissioners, recommending the
new scale is as follows:
''The board of water commission
ers at the regular meeting in Sep
tember investigated the manufac-
turers' water rate and find that the
water department has been supply
ing water to large consumers below
cost and as the operating expenses
have increased in the present year
we recommend for your considera-
ton that the water rate for manu-
featuring shall be as follows, month
ly average per day: First 5000
gallons, twelve cents per 1000 gall
Ions; second 5000, nine cents per
900; third, eight cents and fourth,
seven cents. All over 10000 gallons
per day, six cents per 1000 gal
Ions"