The New York herald., 1921-10-02
TENANTS NOW SEE
THEY PAY TAXES
Rent Laws Prove to Them
They Bear Their Share of
City's Growing Expense.

Since 1903 city officials have used
s350.0O0 coo in an endeaver to keep down
the constantly Increasing tax rate
which, under charter requirements
should have been taken TO reduce the
city debt. according 20 the Real Estate
Board OF New York. The addition OF
vote catching functions of government.
unfair to the thrifty and industrious. and
the payment of outrageous horizontal In
creascs OF salaries TO city employee s
rnadc such improper use OF general furd
moneys necessary to avoid contisca-
tory tax rate, the board maintains.
Real estate owners, according TO the
crganiza ton. who realize that the eror-
nous city debt is first lien on all public
and private property, have protested
against this. but their protests were Of
no avail They We're in minority AID
those who controlled politics ignored
their wishes and their protests. Tho
tenants. who make up the majority OF
the voters. seemed Indifferent, and the
diversion and waste OF city funds went
on unchecked Since 1917, however.
tenants are beginning to realize that
high taxes mean high rents, and the re-
cent rent litigation has still further con-
WINGED them of this.
in the bill of particulars OF the lani
lord required by law to justify a eat
Increase. the entire tax is credited to
the landlord. and is always allowed by
the Judge The tenant sees then that ne
pays the tax. He knows now that the
increased expense of the Board OF Edu-
cation from s3S, 900, 900 in 1917 to an
estimated $1o0,000,000 In 1922, is paid
by him. He knows that this increase
nd afh CT, tpr "a
suit, not OF scientific adjustment of
salaries according to merit, but OF n
horizontal increase wherein the abso-
lutely unfit are paid the same as the fit.
And he knows also that such increases
are not to reward worth and increase
efficiency. but to get votes and to keep
certain men In office
The Real Estate Board OF New York
believes that every citizen OF the city
realizes that excessive taxation on real
estate does not merely punish the real
estate owner, but hits every man,
woman and child in the community.
They feel. therefore, that the time is
ripe for concerted movement on the
part OF the landlord and tenant
for 3. fixed and reasonable tax rate.
All other forms of wealth have a fixed
tax rate. A man owning $4,000 mort
gage at 6 per cent. or who has $4,000
invested In any form of security earning
per cent, knows that he will only pay
per cent. of the income, or Sc tax
yearly. The owner or tenant OF a $4,000
home knows that he will have to pay
either s142.50 a year, Is in 1921, or $3.50
yearly as he will certainly pay In 1922,
and no one knows how much thereafter.
Politicians claim to be anxious TO pro-
mote home owning. and yet they tax the
owner OF $4,000 home twenty y-five
times as much as the owner of $1,000
mortgage or $1,000 invested in any other
form of security earning per cent.
There should be q fixed tax rate OF
not exceeding per cent. on real estate.
This would make the contribution or
owners and tenants toward the expense
Of the citv government In 1922 $780,
100000. With the city's share OF the
State income tax. probably $4,000, 900,
ample revenue would be provided. Until
1918 the entire cost OF city and county
government never exceeded sos, 900. 900
outside OF the debt service, and the other
revenues OF the city will easily take care
OF the debt service.
Property owners and tenants should
refuse TO vote for any candidate who
will not pledge himself to a fixed tax
cate of not exceeding . per cent. on real
estate, declares the board.