The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-24
A BLOW TO THE MAN
WHO RENTS HIS HOME

The people of Memphis are confronted with a serious prob
lem if Mayor Monteverdes announced intention of fixing the
city tax rate at $40, instead OF 81 80, the prevailing rate, is
carried out.
This is the highest rate that the city has ever borne. 1t is
the biggest raise that has ever been put upon tho people in a
single year.
1t means that the total state and county rate, as The News
Scimitar has predicted since the administration began swapping
jobs for political support, will be In the neighborhood of 81.
1t Is time for the man who owns his home to become
alarmed if a corrupt political machine can mortgage his prop
erty to provide jobs for those who serve the personal and parti-
san needs Of the machine.
The man who does not own his home need not congratulate
himself upon escaping the burden OF taxation, The tax will pre-,
vail against the vacant lot, and If he lives on it in a tent he VIII
feel the effect of the tax rate IN the rent.
There is no doubt that rents are going to take a sudden
Jump upward on account Of the increase in taxation. Many hun
dreds of persons already are paying what they believe TO be the
maximum of their ability.
They are going to find that the city administration is fore
ing the property owners to advance the price of rents in order
to enable them to meet the increased burden of taxation.
1t is not necessary to recount the innumerable small jobs
that have been created by Monteverde to take care Of his family
and his %henchmen, or the increase in the pay OF jobs already
created.
The excuse is made that the increased cost OF labor and
material enter largely into the increase in the rate. If that claim
were true the increased assessment on property over the assess
ment of last year would be sufficient to take care Of it. But
the city has used very little material in paving OF in other work
during the year. The city has done practically nothing in the
past year except to create jobs, play politics and squander the
peoples money. .
No one, Of courss, would be SO lacking in the ability to
measure the integrity OF the man as to place any reliance upon
any pledge or promise, written or spoken, that the mayor might
make, but in the face Of the unexceled and astounding tax raise,
the following, taken from the platform upon which Monteverde
and his ticket were elected last year, while the mayor was a com
missioner, familiar with conditions, and qualified to measure the
citys needs, is reproduced for what it is worth, which is nothing
w favor strict economy in all departments OF the city
government. and when responsibility for the results is placed
upon us after Aug. ! we guarantee a lower tax rate in our
budget and a constant revision downward"
Perhaps the mayor will say that he would not think Of car
ryng out this pledge in his platform until the people express
themselves favorably in a referendum election.
Whatever may be the political advantage gained by the city
administration in having SO much money at Its disposal, it is
not amiss to add that 1t is a most serious matter to the man
who provides the money, whether he pays taxes on his business
or home, or whether he has a few dollars a month added to his
rent to take care Of the additional tax.