The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-06-02
CITY AND COUNTY
TAX RATES WILL
Be DISCUSSED
Representatives of CONNER
CiaI and Civic 0rganizauoHs
Will Meet Monday Night at
Chamber of Commerce.
INVESTIGATION OF
NEEDS is PLANNED
Committee From Real Estate
Association Back Of Move
ment to Aid Officials in
Keeping Rate Down.

meeting which should be of inter-
est to every man and woman in Menu
phis, whether or not he owns a cents
worth OF property is to be held Monday
night at the Chamber OF Commerce
1t Is called by Il committee from the
Real Estate association for the purpose
OF discussing the proposed increase In
the city tax rate Of Memphis from 81. so
on each 500 valuation to $50, or a
flat increase OF 40 cents. and also to
consider the proposed Increased Of state
and county rate to $2l2.
preliminary meeting of the real
estate mems committee with a number
OF property owners and the represen-
tatives OF some OF the civic clubs, was
held saturday afternoon, but II was de-
oided that more complete representa-
tion OF the business interests OF tho
city was desirable before any further
action was taken, and the call for the
made
Among the progressive civic organ
iEations which have been invited to
send representatives are the City club,
Rotary club, Lions club Chamber OF
Commerce, Cotton exchange, Merchants
exchange, Nineteenth Century club,
bumhermens club, Trades and Labor
Council. Typographical union, Salon
circle, Insurance. exchange, KIwanls
| club, Memphis and Shelby County Med
| ical society, the various associations
| representing the retail and wholesale
trade interests, and the civic and COM
| munity Clubs, which during the past
few years have become influential fac
tors, many of them having n large
membership.
Not Political Question.
When the question OF the tax rate
was taken up by the Real Estate asso-
ciation, after the announcement by
rate this year would be $40 ], M
Dean PRECEDENT, made II clear that
tho membership Of the associa-
ton have no idea OF antagonizlng
the city administration politically, but
that the movement was altogether a
business one, and that the plan would
be to hold conferences with officials OF
tho city In an attempt to find out
whether the proposed appropriations for
the current year may not he cut down
so ms to produce budget which will no
call for such large expenditures tor
some Of the departments,
| II is always the case that preliminary
| department estimates are far in excess
| Of the amounts actually allowed them
There are few arbitrary increases In
the tax rate which were provided for
| by legislation. notably 10 cents more for
| the city schools.
There will also be n slightly in
creased amount required for the bond
and interest account, but men familiar
with city affairs have estimated that
n 20-cent increase in the tax rate,
bringing the total up to Sc on the 800,
would be ample to take care Of all these
increases.
Assuming thaf the assessment total
win be approximately slS5, 10000 tho
total for iglS--and II reports are true
Il may be u number of thousand dol
lars more--that would give the city
81, zoo, 900 TO spend for all purposes, But
although the figures on the final as
sessment for 1919 are not yet complete,
| II is known that realty values In many
wards were increased possibly to a to.
| tai of $500. 900; that personally assess
ments are much larger than for 1918,
and that probably merchants capital
tax assessments win show an increase
also
As to the county rate, II has been re-
ported that the county commission will
| ask for much larger appropriations. and
| that proposed rate for county pur-
poses of $2,12 will be presented to the
| county court at its July term. County
realty assessments have been consider
| ably increased during the past two
years and consequently the county
revenues arc larger
Short Time for Action,
Whether II win he decided to have
one committee investigate both the
| city and county budgets, or to appoint
two committees, one to work upon the
proposed city budged and proposed tax
rate, and the other upon the county as
sessment and budget, will be decided
probably AT the meeting Monday night.
II is scarcely probable that one COM
| mittee could make the investigation
| necessary within the time In which 1t
| must be made. The city budget ordi-
nance will be introduced Tuesday. IL
| must pass three readings, each a week
| apart. before 1t becomes a law.
The county court will meet the first
Monday In July and the tax rate will
| be fixed probably on the following Mon
| day. Tho committees that are to be
appointed therefore will have only
| two weeks In which to make their in
| vestigations as to the city and month
| as to the county, and to report their
| findings back to the general committed.
which will probably be organized Mon
| dny night