The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-25
Problem of Increase in Taxa
ton to Be Seriously and
Carefully Gone Into
RATE In RICHMOND
Is LOWER THAN ANY
CITY IN ITS CLASS
Figures Presented to Show
Profits From Gas, and How
Retenue May Be Raised by
Increase in Water Rates

The finance committee hopes TO
complies the work OF framing the
budget at As executive meeting to-
night and II hopes to be able to COM
plete its report on the proposed tax
levy.
Following several open meetings OF
the committee, an executive session
WAS held On Thursday night at which
tom II tssiorers Hirschberg and Hob
son. OF the administrative board. pre-
scented q plan by which additional rev.
enue may be derived, thus relieving
the committee Of the necessity OF rails
Ing taxes to the figure proposed in
It's first report.
-he administrative board suggests
81 fiat price for water, SO that large
users may be compelled 20 pay more
than they are now paying, thereby
turning into the treasury the sum OF
$4,000 annually This flat rate
would he fixed at FIVE cents per 100
cubic feet.
This proposition was taken undo
confederation. and Will be fuItt w
discussed at she meeting tonight.
Many reasons were given by inter-
estcd citizens ard business men why
taxes ~ u0t be raised At this time.
and equally rs many, and rs forctb1e.
reasons were presented Why taxes
must ZEE raised II the city is 20 main
tain its efficient administration and
continue, It's upkeep and proposed i'm
provcments-
Tcachcs> In Demand.
Super ntcadent Chandler. ~ the
city school department, spoke at
length on this needs Of more money for
salaries IN his department. for the sim
pie reason that demands were made
Tor services In other callings. and
teachers Mere heinz urged to accept
positions elsewhere at higher salaries.
He pointed out that the teachers. act
Ing in patriotic spirit, preferred TO
remain In the city, and in their pres
ert places than to accept positions
elsewhere because they believed they
could produce better results than
strangers might attempt, and because
they loved their work and were ia
miliar with il and with the people
But" said DIR. Chandler. the cost
Of living has increased. and the teach
crs as well as other citizens. must pay
more for the privilege. The inference
70. therefore. that the teachers should
have at least the proposed ] @ per cent
increase, even though slight Increase
IA taxation may be necessary"
Teachers IN Richmond are receiving
4SsN& kE8&B IIttHF III shy cry "a tiS Es1 Hic
class as was shown by statistics. DR..
Chandler presented table OF financial
statistics Of cities in Richmond'- class.
showing the amount of taxes on $1,000
of true values. which was filed with
the finance committee.
This table is interesting and worth
preserving, az proof that Richmond.
which is looked upon az a leader in
educational health, fire and police
conditions. is receiving less through
taxation for the returns given than
sny other city In class OF forty-four
cities, scattered all over the country.
Low Rate of Taxes.
Jersey City. n. J.. s2o.54; Kansas
city, Mo. 1891; Portland. Ore,
STATS, Indianapolis, Ind. sl5.o4: Dem
YER Col, $3.50; Rochester, n. Y.
s2i.72; Providence, r. l., s14,4a; st.
Paul Mimi, $15.44: Louisville. Ky,
s20,22: Columbus, O., 1890: Oakland.
cal. $f7.s2; Toledo, o. s15,1s; At
lante. Ca. $15.22; Birmingham. Ma.
s141o; Omaha, Neb.. s16.i1; wor-
Si2.1s; Syracuse, n. Y, s27.77; New
Haven. Conn. s22.2s; Memphis. Tenn.
$500; Scranton, Pa, $l7.ss: spo-
kane, Wash, $3.50; Paterson, " j..
5000; Fail River. Mass. s25.oo;
Grand Rapids. Mich. s173s: Dayton,
O.. $13.40; Dallas. Tex. $500; San
Antonio. Tex, slS.s3: Bridgeport,
Conn, sla.s4; Nashville. Tenn, sia26;'
New Bedford. Mass, $4,000; Salt Lake
CITY. Utah, sl6sf' Lowell. Mass,
$4,000; Cambridge, Mass, $1,000;
Trenton. N j., S22.S0; Hartford,
Conn. s1T.aS: Houston, Tex. $3.50;
Tacoma, Wash, 1884: Reading. Pa,
$3.50; oung stown, O. s14.0o; Cam
den, \. j., STATS. Albany, ". Y,
s24.02; Springfield. Mass. $3.50;
Lynn. Mass, s21.Se.
Question OF Gas Rates.
In making his point against an In
crease In gas rates. Jesse c. Duke.
who spoke before the COMMITTEES,
showed that the total profits in the
gas de department. for the past five years,
With tax charge eliminated. was >s7s6,
3oas6 making the annual profits
Sfs7.2eo.T9 Mr.. Duke presented this
brief;
1.-THE Richmond committee on high
cost of living, representing one hun
dred and three fraternal and trade orr
ganizations, contends:
ST. That the cost OF government
should be Met by taxes.
-. That gas and water should be
furnished at cost.
at respectfully opposes an increase
on gas to 9oc because;
Il. The gas works have completely
paid for themselves by the excess
profits during the past ten years or
so. and the charge for depreciation
and interest is therefore. unnecessary.
- a charge for taxes is ridiculous
because no other department OF the
city pays this charge and 1t is merely
figures. not paid,
IS The profits in past years could
carry these three fictitious itens and
~