Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-03
TAX CUT MAY HIT
WARE PARK CLAIM.
Promised Reduction Held
Likely to Menace City's
"Moral" Debt
CONTRACTS in PERIL
Lower Levy May Mean Less
for Ash Removal and
Street Cleaning

VIII Mayor Smiths determination to
cut the tax rate jeopardize Senator
Vare's long-standng moral claim" of
$4,000 for work on League Island
Park, or lead to a reduction in the s3.-
100000 being expended annually in
street cleaning, ash removal. etc?
rms Is but one of the many questions
being asked in City Hall by these fa-
mlliar with the unusual wartime finan-
cial problems that Councils will face
when they convene this month.
The Mayor is determined to spend
less money in 1919 than this year. the
only question is where is the cut TO
come aside from dropping unnecessary
places. BY cutting forces. it is claimed,
enough money can be found TO pay
salary increases to at least a part of
the 1000 city workers who are prepar-
ing demands upon Councils
In the improbable event of the re-
duction in the payroll covering wartime
increased cost of living, for those left
IN the service, the Mayor AID his flnan-
cial advisers will find themselves ex-
actly where they were year ago and
with some s46,6O0,O00 to provide This
can be done on nothing less than the
present tax rate.
Big Demand for Supplies
To add to the financial difficulties in
the way of tax reduction. Director
mclaughlin. of the Department of
Supplies. is preparing to submit to
councils demand for from $500, 900 to
100000 for fuel and supplies for the
early months of the coming winter With
the unappropriated balance in the CITY
Treasury near the disappearing point,
this extra money will have to be found
for payments on delivery. Fuel is being
purchased at Government fixed prices
and plus extra freight charges allowed
the railroads. Many classes of sup
plies are being purchased in the open
market at steadily increasing prices.
Claims, other than the one of Senator
Ware, liable to cause embarrassment to
the financiers, include a total of $4,000
for legal fees for attorneys who have
fought legal proceedings outside the
work done by the office of City Solicitor
Connolly. In this list Is one for ap-
proximately $4,000 for William Draper
Lewis and his associates in drawing the
proposed lease of city-built lines to the
Philadelphia Rapid Transit. One of the
legal claims dates back to the time of
former Mayor Reyburn.
To Go Over Budgets
In the three weeks that will intervene
before Councils meet Mayor Smith and
department heads will go over budget
cuts and allowances in the hope of
economizing. This work will start to-
day and may not be completed in time
for all the budgets to be in the hands
of Councils Finance Committee before
October. Most of the planned changes
will become effective the first of 1919.
With Mayor Smith planning a re-
duction and some department heads and
courts determined to increase the pay
roll. the members of Councils Finance
Committee anticipate some lively ses-
SONS b>sore the final division of funds
for 1919 is accomplished In order to
expedite the work. weekly or semi
weekly sessions will be held during Oc-
tober and November, if necessary.