Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-03-19

yields ten per cent increase the city
will be doing mighty well.
/ Continuing, Mr.. johnson sald
"Don't place it on the home owner
if it can be avoided. Enforce the
law on the statue books and you can
raise it" Continuing ne recon-
mended raising the license tax. lie
directed attention to the fact that
council increased the license OF the
LAWYERS. He further stated that no
increase had been made on the physl-
clans who are making from $4,000
to $4,000 year and only pay a
small tax.
Mr.. johnson further stated: "All
ask is to enforce the law; the
merchants are the ones upon which
the burden should fall. They are
getting rich. One retailer made
$4,000 net profit last year" :.
The merchants on King street he
asserted get the benefit, and he said
they made millions last year.
Out of $50 merchants only S27,5OO
was paid in taxes last year and he
said they could stand 100000 Ii
cense taxes just as easily.
Counei. he asserted has right to
demand that the merchants make ac-
curate reports on purchases. Mr..
johnson asserted that if council en-
forced the law $4,000 additional
revenue could be obtained from the
merchants on the volume of business
done.
He also recommended an increase
in licenses.
Charles E. Tennesson after ex
rla;ning the tax situation suggested
that enc way to get additional rev.
snuc would be small tax in intan
gibles personal property which
might be taxed thirty cents on the
800.
R. S. Roberts stated that he
agreed with Mr.. Johnson that the
little home owners should not be
taxed. He suggested license on
selling property and also tax Of 81
a year on each room rented.
Gardner l.. Boothe stated that the
question is where to place the bur-
den.
He stated that only a handful of
property owners were present. Their
taxes would be only increased S6 or
IS year he said Mr.. Boothe said
Mr.. Johnscn's statement that prop
erty values have increased was in
COMPREHENSIVE. There would be nc
difficulty he said in putting the tax
back at the end of the year, and he
added that he believed large part
Of the tax increase would be placed
On King street property. Mr.. Boothe
thought that if a tax was placed on
intangibles it would drive out rich
persons, and the burden would fall
on women who held only small
number and they would have to re-
main here. Concluding Mr.. Boothe
declared that Alexandria real estate
today is higher than ever before and
the property owners should be will
ing to help out.
John w. May thought the lawyers
paid only small tax while the
merchants pay pretty good propo-
raticn. Only about $3.50 is paid by
The lawyers while the merchants
paid in licenses about $4,000. He
said and the merchants form about
one-fiftieth of the population and
pay one-eighth Of the taxes.
Carroll Pierce said that the city
can't expect to increase home build
ing by raising taxes every year or
50. He favored an equalization of
taxation in ell forms. and added that
ne was afraid an increase on real
estate would stifle building opera
.ions. Mr.. Pierce was opposed to
loing anything that would reduce
our chances of growing.
He suggested that the proposition
might be met by short time finan-
cling.
R. Philpot expressed himself in
favor of increasing the tax on real
estate as the most practical method
IF obtaining the additional funds re-
ouired to operate the city for the
coming year.
Capt. George n. Evans suggested
that the Chamber of Commerce is
laily receiving requests from manu-
featuring concerns that contemplate
,ocating in this vicinity and they
would not care to come if they were
% be burdened with high taxes. HI
said one solution would be to have {
,1.+ hook made and assess property