Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-24
TAX RATES. NO MEASURE
OF ACTUAL TAX BURDENS

with nigh tax rates and low assess
ments:
(From Census Bulletin 1918, Table 30.)
Low Tux Rates (Under 500.
Massachusetts cities Brookline,
$3.50 (city. $10.S1; Boston. s17.7O
Getty, s15.2o): Springfield, $3.50
Getty. s14.S1).
Michigan - Grand Rapids, $3.50
Getty, $1,000.
New Hampshire-A1anche chester, SIS. &c
Getty, $4,000.
Some New York cities-Lowest,
Niagara Falls. 1850 Getty. $10.5O.
All Ohio cities-Akron. $3.50 Getty,
s11.s5): Canton. s13.26 Getty. $1,000
Cincinnati. $3.50 Getty, $1,000;
Cleveland, 1855 Getty, s15.1o); Co.
lumbus, s14 Getty, s1o.4SD: Dayton.
$3.50 Getty. s1o97): Hamilton. 1890
Getty. s1o.65): Lima, 1920 deity.
$3.50: Lorain. s13.S4 Getty, s10.s5);
Newark, $500 Getty. s11.30); Spring
field. 1880 Getty. $11.62); Toledo.
s15.3a Getty. sl1;9sl: Youngstown.
Getty. $3.50. ~ ''''' Lev
Some Pennsylvania cities1fhila-
delphia. 1897; Johnstown, s1S.53;
Lancaster, 1891 Getty. $16).
a., Az Rhode Island cities-Newport.
s15.O6 Getty. 1885,; woonsocket,
$l6.l2 Getty. s14.92).
s, Al [ Wirginia CITIES Lynchhurg.
stitY. t sis sis 9oI,E MoTfG1k s1Ss5
Getty. sI7.sO: richmond, si5.s2 tc GiSo
slS.10: Roanoke. sl6.OS Getty. $l4.06I'
West Observation-Disclosures $685.
Getty. $f2.60): Huntington, sIg.Ss
s ssitg; s14.ss); Wheeling. $3.50 Getty,
Wisconsin cities-Green Bay. s16.ss
Icity. s12.6s): Kenosha. SIS tcjtv
Madison. s14 Getty. s1l,35i:
.osh: $3.50 Getty, $3.50; Racine,
Sl6.6s Getty. SGD.
Big Tax Rates tOver a3O).
All California cities excent Co,
Franeico; highest. San Diego, $500.
Pueblo. Colo, 5000.
Jacksonville, Fla, 1882: Tamns
Fla. s5S.s2
Georgia cities. except Atlanta
Boise. Idaho. s319I.
Illinois cities: Aurora, 5000: Chi.
cago. s62.75; Danville. s72.54. De-
catur. s74.30; East st. Louis. .seso
Joliet. s94.S0: Peoria. sss4o. or;,.,.
S60,io; Rockford. s62.s4: SprinetieIS
indiana: Highest are East CHICAGO
S5l:SO; Gary, s5l.20. ~
an Iowa cities. Highest. Cedar
Des MoineS, $3.50. "'0.e' ;
Minneapolis. Mimi, $3.50,
Most Missouri cities. except ST,
-, u, Nebr, s1os.ss: Omaha,
So; Some New York cities; highest, Au-
South Carolina: Charleston. .5s,so.
Columbia. s4375. T'0o- >
All Tennessee.
Nearly all Texas; highest. $50.
All washington cities: Bellineham.
soG.04: Everett, S5469 (city. s3o ss1
seattle: so2:5l; Spokane. s41.4s: Ia,
Note that chicago's tax rate is
nearly four times as large as that Of
Boston. But the Bostonian's actual
tax burden, measured by dollars and
cents OF levy, instead Of being only
a little over one-fourth of that Of
the Chicagoite is even greater.
Cities With Our Tux Rate.
Analysing these figures we. find CITY
tax rates in 1918 less than Washing
such cities as Brookline. Mass, slo.s4;
Niagara Falls. y. Y, sl057; Akron.
Ohio, s11.9o; Canton. Ohio, sl0.0s: Co
lumbus, Ohio. s10.4S: Dayton. Ohio.
s10.97; Hamilton. Ohio. s1o.65; Lima
Ohio, 1868; Springfield. Ohio. s1I.6e;
Toledo. Ohio. sl1.99; Youngstown. Ohio.
slO.s2: GAINESVILLE. Ohio. s11.94: New
port, r. l.. $40; Lynchburg, Va. s11.ss.
Charleston, w. Va, $3.50; Wheeling
"; Va; $40; Green Bay. Wis. s12.es;
s11.3o; Racine. Wis, ST..
We find city tax rates in 1918 only
a little more than WaShington's CITY
tai rate today (sl3.0O): in Boston,
sl5.Ss: Grand Rapids. Mich, sl3.0S;
Providence. r. l.. s13.s6: Norfolk, Va,
s15I 10: Richmond, Va, sl3.17.
We find total tax rates (inequitably
including state tax In 1918 ONLY a
little more than Washington city
rate today, in such cities as Cincin-
natl, $3.50: Cleveland, sl5.55: Provi-
dence. r. l., sl5.O6; Richmond, Va,
5 1862.
Reduced to an Absurdfty.
These facts and figures show con-
that cities paying more than
twice Washington's tax rate Tor up
to $50 like those cited in the House
debate) are not twice as heavily
taxed as Washington, unless they are
also about twice as heavily taxed as
Cincinnati, Boston, Provi-
dence and Richmond. If these COM
parative tax rates show that Wash
ington is only half taxed. they prove
also that every one of the Ohio
cities fourteen). every city in Vir-
pip (GS.aN cifv Rhode
Island (four) are only half taxed.
If tax rates are to be accepted as
standards of measuring tax burdens,
then the cities cited in the House
paying about $40 tax rate are not
only twice as heavily tax burdened
as Cleveland, Cincinnati. Washington.
and Richmond. but they
are themselves only half taxed In
comparison with Chicago, s62.1o:
Aurora. H.. s66. 90; Peoria, $3.50
sga tSe sselo ans tssh thira
heavily tax burdened as Joliet. H..
s94.S0; Cedar Rapids, Iowa, s91.9s;
Council Bluffs, Iowa, 5000: Lincoln
Neb., S106.38. and Omaha, Neb., $lO6.2s.
what comfort can the city with its
comparatively low tax rate OF soo
get out Of boasting that it bears
twice the tax burden of Washington:
Cincinatti, Cleveland, Providence and
Richmond, when measured by the
same standard 1t is compelled to con-
TESS that it's tax burden Is only one
third of that Of Cedar Rapids
Council Bluffs, Lincoln and Omaha?
Rule Works Both Ways.
The cities averaging about $50 tax
rate, accused by Chicago OF being
only half-taxed will naturally ex-
anime Chicago's tax rate ($627o) to
ascertain if Chicago is really more
than twice as heavily taxed as them
selves. Examination will disclose
that Chicago's assessment valuation
Is confessedly so low that Its net
per capita tax burden is in many
cases less than their own. II III
spite of this relation of taX-rates