Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-07
WALTON OPPOSES
HIGHER TAX RATE
Controller Suggests
Councilmanic Loan TO Meet
Increased Expenses
WILL NEED 500. 900. 900
Lev! for 1919 Budget Would
he S2.i3. Prohibitive Fig.
IRE. He Says

Opposing AN increase in the tax Tasc,
Controller Walton. IN hia annual budget
estimate, 10 BE- submitted to Councils
todny' suggests a. councIlmanic loan TO
cover excess way expenses Incidentally
he shows tina. should the Finance COM
mittee grant all demands. a $40 city
rate would be needed for 1919
In showing the need for more revenue
to meet the clty's growing expenses,
Controller walton, IN addition 20 sug-
gesting the possibility Of q counellmaric
loan. which would not need the approval
Of tho voters. calls attention 10 the fact
tilat there cauro. be any reduction in
the rute II tho war continues. lie also
points out that Il sudden tern nation Of
tho war might leave departments with
a great deG 81 mono, oa their hands,
allowed AZ the preseu. inflated prices Tor
labor and materials.
The suggestion Of councHmLuic l,Nu
is in line with plans already under way
to mako M aty deuci'5 resulting from
Il continuation Oi the present tdN rate
of N,15 for municipal purposes in the
FACE OF demand for moro than The ag-
Grtgate revenue resulting from this fig
ure. II Is, however, an evasion of the
pay-a s-you-Eo act THAI vaa a dead lot
tor under former Mayor Rcyburn and
under other administrations.
Against "Prohibitive" Rat.
The Controllcr points out that the
budget total Of SGG,SlS.032.e6. 10 which
must he added the estimated floating
debt OF s9,50o,o0o, would require u pro
hibitive" tax rate. and sounds q note OF
warning to the members and 70 tlr
finance committee which now has under
consideration the largest series OF de
mands ever made Jy ci:y departments
In his warning reativ" 10 any
changes in IT," present high taN rate
Controller Walton says.
Whether this tan rate can De reduced
or not for the coming year 10 now the
big problem to Ice solved by your hon
urabie bodies. it certainly cannot O'
reduced unless thPre IS R decided change
IN present labor ana material conditions
II the war should end suddenly il IS
reasonable - suppose, however. there
might lie considerable surDlusage OF
labor ana material by the spring Of
1912. resulting In much lower prices
wl'h Europe Lacl; TO - peace basis ana
other foodstuifs and manufactured goods
for a time at a bare living wage there
may even be a stagnation IN industries
IT, this country.
YOU are now considering appr"pria-
tions for q period Of many months ahead.
and economic conditions can reverse
themselves IN . comparatively short
time. Might II not then he tho part Of
wisdom 10 seriously consider Il rsduc-
ton in the tay rate for 1919, having IL
mind that YOU could resort I" u loan 70
make up any denciency II the present
ahnorInally high prices should Continue :
/ Ii next year should be poor business
; wear, Il lower tax rate would do much 70
ancliorate conditions for both the work
or. who owns HE home or "a buying ono
through his building association, ana
for the manufacturer and real estate
g-ucraly believe EOur honorable
bodies would be entirely justified in re-
sorting 20 . moderate esiZcd loan, If nee
essary, o. help pay the eEtraordinar!
cost Of the municipal government arising
/ solely and entirely from war conditions.
Funds Nearly Exhausted
There will 10 loss revenue for 1911
than has been appropriated for 1918 t'
lob, ,rI Yn ~, funds are nearly eN