San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04
LEVY HIGHEST
TAX TO MEET
BLACK BUDGET
Expenditures Of Present AID.
minishation Require
Maximum Tax.
EXPECTED A CUT
Pfeiffer Warns Mayor City
Expenditures Will Ex-
coed Income.

Despite the oft-repcated campaign
pledges of Mayor Black that San An
tonic taxpayers would be given a re-
duction in taxes during the Black
regime. they will be required to pay the
maximum rate of S225 during the pres
cnt year, according TO announcement
by Tax Commissioner John 7. Pfciffer
Saturday. Although Commissioner
Pfeiffer suggested that il might be pos
sible TO get by with tax rate of S2.21.
he indicated that tire rate this year will
be 1928. This is the same rate which
was in effect when Mayor Black took
office and compares with a rate OF
S2.15 in force last year.
And Commissioner Pfeiffer declines
to take the blame for the increase which
is necessary this year in order that
the city may secure revenues which will
meet the expenditures, Despite repeated
warnings TO the mayor and commits
sioners that the city was corresponding
its allowances, the tax commissioner
said, the orgy of spending was con-
tinued, with the result that the city
will require every available cent OF
revenue TO meet the budgets. He criti-
cized particularly the street commission
err for building streets from money taken
from the general, fund when under the
charter this work should be done with
funds secured from bond issues. He did
not spare Mayor Black for the expendi-
lures in the executive department,
pointing out that the mayor is spend
ing $G40 n month for the operation OF
his immediate department, whereas Sam
Bell, his predecessor spent only $500.
Calls Them Dry Agents.
The tax commissioner pointed out
that the mayor has employed n secre-
tary, an assistant secretary, an eff
cheney expert and two special in
yestigatOrs, the tax commissioner de-
scribing the two latter as prohibition
agents" The mayor could well get
along with n single secretary as did
Mayor Bell. Commissioner Pfeiffer said.
He intimated that with three votes in
the council against him the mayor
might be required 10 dispense with the
services of some of his employees which
Commissioner Pfeiffer deems MONIES
sential."
With but n slight increase in the as
sessed valuations of the city, the tax
commissioner pointed out, it will be i'm
possible to secure sufficient revenue to
take care of the temporary budgets even
at the maximum tax rate. Total as
sessed valuations this year are slight
~ over $1S0,O00,000 as compared to
about $1T9.OOO,00O last year. The in
crease is slightly more than SGOO,O0O.
Under these circumstances, Commits
siOner Pfeiffer said, the city must fix
tax rate of $1.2j for general pur-
poses, IS cents for interest and sink
ing fund and two cents for the main
tenance of the Carnegie Library. This
will make total city rate of Sl'OJ.
Added to this will be 80 cents for school
maintenance and nine cents for the new
s., 900, 600 school bond issue, total OF
% cents, which, added to the city S
81 60 will make total of S2.24.
Reports in circulation Saturday that
the school board would add ten cents
TO its rate for maintenance purposes
were discrcdited when DR.. Hargis. pres
ident of the school board, stated that
no increase was contemplated. Al
though he had not received figures from
Commissioner Pfeiffer stating the
amount of the total assessed valuation
of the city, DIR. Hargis said, he did
not expect any increase in the school
tax above the 80 cents already indi-
Gated. The school board has maxi
mum taxing power of 81 cents.
VIII Oppose Gyerdraft.
Adoption of the final budget and fix
ing of the tax rate must be passed
upon by the city council some time dur
ing February. Under instructions con-
tanned in resolution submitted to the
city council Thursday by Commissioner
Pfeiffer, the city auditor will present
statement Monday showing the condl-
ton of the budgets in the various de-
partments. In the opinion of Commits
sioner Pfeiffer the revenues coming to
the city from the S1S0.000,OO0 valua-
ton under the maximum city tax rate
of S1.GJ will not be sufficient to take
care of the temporary budgets. His
figures were based on the assumption
that 30 per cent of the taxes will be
collected, whereas only 50 per cent were
collected last year. He figured. how
ever, the city's income from police fines,
licenses and dues collections and other
sources Of revenue.
Drastic economy" In all depart
ments was the warning issued by the
tax commissioner Saturday. This will
mean that Commissioner Rieden will