The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-12-11
TAX PAYERS IN REVOLT IN PHILA.

INSPIRED by the various local hunger marches
and especially by the National Hunger March
to Washington, the tax payers in Philadelphia
have organized marches of their own. On Mon
day about a thousand tax payers stormed
the City Hall and the session of the City Cotn1-
Gil. Seeing the mass protest and Indignation OF
the tax payers the City Council abruptly ad-
iourned its session and left the meeting room.
Why The Tax Payers Revolt?
The corrupted politicians of the City Council
have increased the city budget by twelve million
dollars. This therefore presents the City Coun-
ell with the problem Of raising 10 million dollars
above its income. To raise this money the City
Council proposes to raise taxes on property by
35c per each 500 of assessed valuation of prop.
erty. The present tax rate is $2.771s per 500.
If this increase in the tax rate would be carried
through, then it would be 1912 per hundred.
In addition the City Council also proposes to
increase the tax on water by so per cent.
Due to the present unemployment tens Of
thousands of workers are not in a position to
pay their taxes nor the interest on mortgages
on their property. The result is that every
month thousands OF workers homes are being
sold by the sheriff. For the month of Deem
Der 1000 homes will be sold for failure to pay
taxes. For period Of IL months, $4,000 sheriff
sales took place. The worker tax payers know
that if the tax rate is increased more of their
homes will be sold. Because of this situation
the tax payers who are in majority workers and
peoples Of small means are revolving
Tax the POor-But Do not Tax the Rich
The economic crisis, the sharp decline in the
value of real estate, the closing down Of num-
erous banks began seriously to effect the petty
bourgeoisie and the small business men. The
big real estate operators and capitalists are try
ing TO utilize this mass movement to avoid higher
taxes on their property and income. The move
rnent so far is in the hands of republican poll
ticisns and big textile manufacturers who want
to avoid higher tax on their property, and for
this purpose they utilize the discomfort and
revolt Of the small tax payers
1t must be clear to the workers, that we must
be against higher taxes upon the workers and
peoples of small means. However we must de-
nand higher tax on property and incomes OF
the rich in order to feed the unemployed.
Build Workers Tax Payers League
In face of this situation it becomes necessary
for the workers and srnan merchants to build
movement against high taxes Of their own
This movement is not to be under the control
Of republican politicians and various neighbor-
hood business mems associations, but under the
direct control Of the workers and workers Or
CARNATIONS
The various Chamber Of Commerce and b,lsi-
ness associations who now pretend to be against
the increase, were the ones who we're respon-
sfbIe for placing the higher~tax Republican City
Council into power. Precisely because the po-
liticians are afraid that The workers and the
small merchants may organize a movement Of
their own in the struggle against higher taxes,
to tax the rich and not to tax the poor, that
they have tried to assume leadership OF this
movement in order TO behesd It,
rho workers muss zee this policy Of tAe bc~es
ard r~rd wors>rs rer rwvesv reesrps