Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-07
SUGGESTNEW TAXES.
FOR C|TY'S REVENUE
Excise on Gasoline at Filling
Stations and Wheel Tax Are
Being Considered
TRIED IN OTHER PLACES

Occupation and business taxes. ex-
cises on the sale Of gasoline at filling
stations and wheel taxes on vehicles,
have been suggested to Philadelphia by
officials of several other large cities as
n possible means Of establishing new
sources of revenue to meet Increased
costs.
These plans have been worked with a
certain degree Of success in other
municipalities seeking to meet the
problem of high prices. go, ,
Frank w. Short. executive clerk OF
Council. at the instance OF richard
Weglein, president, has received many
replies to requests for information that
might prove useful to Philadelphia
The answers also show the following
plans are in use in various sections OF
the country to bring new revenues INTO
the city treasures:
Increases of general property tax
Increased assessment OF property.
Increases In the existing license tees
and establishment of new license lees
Tips" From Many Cities
Among the cities recommending the
various plans to Philadelphia are New
York. Boston. Baltimore, Chicago, St
Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati. Detroit
San Francisco, Atlanta. Denver, Syra :
cuse New Haven, Toledo, 81. paui
Seattle, Birmingham and Los Angeles.
The replies show that In a great ma ;
jority Of cases, whenever additiona
revenue Is required by city, the favor
ite method is to increase the ASSESSED
value of property. This course was loi
lowed in Providence, while In ST. Loui'
it is stated the greatest source OF rev
enue Ia procured by increasing the val
uation Of real estate.
Aside from general property ta'
tbere has been movement In man.
cities to increase the fees for ordinar.
regulatory licenses such as those TO
theatres, pawnbrokers. auctioneers. al
yertising signs, the storage and sale
explosives.
The cities that have extended thri
licensing systems recently. are Chi
| cago, New York, st. Paul, Syracus
and New Haven. The cities of Detroi
and Toledo are considering this policy
Chicago has gone very far in addini
to her list of licenses. Last Januar!
the City Council directed the committe
on judiciary to prepare ordinance
providing for the licensing of mum
ber of occupations, professions and in
dustries, viz; automobile agencies
billboards, signs, railroad and steam
shin agencies, osteopaths, opticians
physicians, dentists, architects. photog
raphers, wholesale bakers, brick yards
hotels, fruit and vegetable deal
ers, retail and wholesale coDfectioners
warehouses, commission merchants
vending machines and some twoscor
other businesses.
Licensing Of Businesses
During the last several years Me-
York city has increased its licensing sys
tenn and has also centralized the issuin
of licenses in O single department In
stead OF scattering the work among 81
Offices. as was formerly the practice
= Among the newer licenses and permi
, | In New York are those covering adveI
Using signs, sub surface areas and W
hicles.
= st. Louis has adopted an excise
, one half cent per gallon on gasoliI
8 sold at filling stations, while Detroit
| considering similar plan. In Detro
e and Toledo the establishment of rent
r fees for all areaways under the stree
has been proposed.
A new source of revenue atractiI
t interest in several cities is the whe
tax under which an annual charge
4 levied on all vehicles as compensate
n for the wear and tear upon the street
s A few cities have adopted a compile
= system of business and occupation taI
!. cs, levying excises on virtually all el
1t tcrprises, occupations and calling
). Business or occupation taxes have be
y imposed in southern cities for maj
e years.
!. Los Angeles passed an ordinan
'e levying a license tax on approximate
ID 800 classes of business, occupation al
n calling, The list includes wholesG
and retail businesses Of all kline
" theatres and concert halls, busine
: schools and colleges, undertakers. a
J. torneys, architects, dentists and profe
ie sional occupations Of all kinds, exec
he clergymen.