Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-17
Cost of Running Cities.

In Philadelphia Mayor Mackey, who
may be talking with his tongue in his
cheek and his eye on the headlines
threatens to cut the city budget so
drastically that third of the munic-
ipal employees will lose their jobs. In
New York a committee of taxpayers,
protesting rising taxes, formally noti-
fies the city authorities that "the time
has come when increasing city budgets
must stop. The inability of property
owners to pay their taxes is the reason
for more foreclosure sales on property
todey than any other, and at recent fore
closure sales there have been no bidders"
In New Orleans Silas H. Strawn banker
and lawyer addressing the Investment
Bankers Association, blames much OF
the rising cost Of city budgets on "the
higher standards of living Of expert
enced politicians" and points out that
interest payments on debts in 1927 in
Jersey City, Norfolk, Camden, Whining
ton, Kansas City, FL Paso, Lawrence,
Bayonne, Charleston. Newport News.
Bay City, Mich: Chelsea, Mass; Lima,
Ohio, and Muskogee, OKLA exceeded
municipal expenditures for public i'm
provements.
New York's current budget, upon
which public hearings are now in
progress, amounts to $615 900, 900. an
increase of some $45,000,0o0 over last
year, and representing more money
than the Federal Government spent
twenty-five years ago. Everywhere the
increased cost of governing municipal
tiles is causing complaint from the tax
payers. Much of the higher burden is
caused by catering to the needs-lux-
urious needs. they would have been
called few years ago-of growing
populations. Much of It is due to in
competent and crooked city admins
tFation, with attendant graft. Much of
II Is due to great debts accumulated in
the era Of profiigate spending after the
war. Much of it is due to the nunler-
Gus taxing bodies that work independ-
entity Of each other or to wasteful
forms OF government, as in Chicago.
where there are fourteen separate tax
levies on some property; PITTSBURGH.
where there are 1913 separate munici-
pal organizations, and Detroit. where
there are las.
Here in Washington, with the local
Government free from the political
entangiements that beset the average
municipality: where the assessor has
more to fear from underassessment
than overaSsessment and with no axes
to grind to held his job; where every
penny about to be spent underRoes the
rigid scrutiny Of Federal oficials no
less exacting than those who later
examine each actual expenditure, the
cost OF running the city is put on a
rock-bottom basis. Assessments are as
near true value as it is possible TO
make them and taxes are not levied
to support the higher standards Of liv-
ing Of experienced politicians" dummy
pay rolls, fantastic purchases of land
and fabulous contracts granted to IA
vored members of "the organization"
Yet the tendency is to raise Wash
ington's tax level, as shown by mere
Dsures alone, TO those elsewhere, with
out taking into consideration either the
unique position of Capital City taxpay-
ers, the nature of plans for the Cap
ital City itself or the returns from tax
payments in other cities that are not,
enjoyed here-such as the public inn
proyements financed on borrowed
money, State taxes, etc. Fair appraisal
of all the conditions that go into taxa
ton shows that Washington's taxes are
comparable TO those paid elsewhere.
Current opinion is that the taxes else
where are too high and that real
craftsmanship is represented in ability
to reduce them, instead OF seeking
excuses TO increase them.
-S-$@N-S----