Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-11
MUST VOTE TAX
RAISE To AVOID
MONEY TANCLES
Rock Island and Moline Electors
VIII he Called Upon in June
TO Save Finances.
PLOw CITY WILL BE WATCHED
Increase in Municipal Rat Neces-
Sary To Fcrtify Against Many
lIardShip>.

Rock Island and Moline electors
next month will be called upon 10
save the TWO cities financially
In each city there will be a refer
endum vote on increasing the mum
cipaI tax rate from the present 10
per cent OF the assessed valuation
Of property 20 a fat rate of , per
cent Moline VIII vote on the is
sue on Tuesday June H. Rock Is
land viii closely follow the out
come Of the proposition at the polls
in Moline, for four days later Rock
Island electors will vote on i, the
date being fixed for Saturday, June
Is.
The financial situation of the cit
ies of Rock Island and Moline are
practically the same Moline TWO
years ago was deprived Of its rev
enues from the legalized liquor
traffic when the city was voted dry.
After two years Moline has found
fl necessary to ask the increase in
the tax rate Rock Island, there
fore. has a distinct advantage over
Moline. iuasmuch as it is now vot-
ing on the proposed raise in the
municipal rate and Will thus be
able to fortify itself against diff
cult financial tangles with the sue
ceSsful termination of the issue at
the polls
When Moline became dry two
years ago il had an advantage that
Rock IslaI& today does not possess.
Moline was spending its money
after the revenue had been collect
ed Rock Island is anticipating its
revenue and spends money in eX-
pectatioH Of what will be turned
over to the city during the fiscal
year Moline, however, has grad
ualIv worked its finances around
so that now it is in the same posi-
tiOn that Rock Island is, and is
spending money in anticipation.
Moline in Same Boat.
Moline commissioners have fig
ured out that the municipality will
need 100000 more than the city
anticipates it will receive from all
sources Of revenue this year BY
increasing the TAX rate " pei
cent there will be available $4,000
more. The city, under law, has the
right to borrow money on anticipa
ton warrants to the limit Of % per
cent Of this sum, or about $4,000.
Rock Island, on the other hand,
figures that the increase in the mu-
aicipal tax rate will add $4,000 to
the revenue of this city, and il will
he entitled to borrow money 10 the
limit of - per cent. or $44.250.
Last wear the city of Rock Island
estimated its expenses for the fiscal
year just closed at S474 1858 0S. The
sum actually needed, however. was
in excess Of the estimate. The re-
cent estimate of Commissioner NJ.
T. Rudgren upon the revenues ex-
pected during the present fiscal
year is $3.50 1892. less than the
amount needed last year. and with
heavy increases in the cost of Op-
Grafton of the municipality staring
the city in the face. In arranging
this estimate. Commissioner Rud-
gren eliminated the s95 900 which
-he city has received yearly from
the legaliZed liquor traffic. and sub
tracted $4,000 from the amount OF
fines which the city has collected.
because Of the fact that last year
was abnormally heavy in police
fines by reason of the presence Of
the Rock Island saloons fed by the
patronage Of large dry Communi-
" Thus the city loses more than
$lO7 600 as a result of the passing
of the liquor traffic and stands face
10 face with the increased cost Of
operation of the municipality.
Contributing toward this deficit,
the city clerk has added the public
benefit tax. new assessment. to
the revenue anticipated. The sum
for Rock Island is $4,000 Here
tofore the city's expenses on pub
lie improvements have been borne
in the general fund. but the last
legislature passed law permitting
the levy of a mill tax for public
improvements.
Must Have Funds.
Yet the net difference between
the estimated revenues and the an
ticipated expenses is so vast that
the city has 10 provide some sub
stantial method 10 secure more
money. The tax increase is the
only solution 10 the problem, mas
much as the assessment is spread
over the entire city and viii work
hardship upon none. Rock Island
talked for a time Of licensing Ger
tain lines of business which are
being conducted without the ex-
pense OF a special tax for privilege
TO operate This plan was later
dropped when the more feasible
one Of the increase in municipal
tax rate was suggested to the Rock
Island city commission.
The city faces an increase in the
cost Of operation from many
sources. Salaries have to be ad-
yanced so that city employees will
be able 10 meet the increased cost
OF living Hay ana feed for horses
have gone up. Fuel has raised in
price Repairs 10 equipment costs
more Everything which the city
buys 20 conduct its affairs has ad-
yanced considerably Then there
is the cost of the natural expansion
and Improvements that a munich
patty urdergoes even in normal
times which contribute 10 adyanc-
IHP the cost Cf operation.
The issue Of increased taxation
was initiated before the municipal
commission when the matter of
fieheF wages for the Rock Island
firemen was considered by the city
body II was pointed out also that
the city desires 20 install an aerial