Evening star., 1932-08-15
The Tax Revolt Continues.

In his interesting description in yes
terday's Star of the plight of the cities
during the era Of depression, Former
Commissioner Brownlow presents figures
to show that in spite of increased de-
mands for money majority of the
cities have balanced their budgets and
decreased their expenditures. While his
data are not complete, they probably
represent one of the most adequate
presentations yet made of a subject
that is of absorbing concern to local
taxpayers from coast to coast. In New
England. for instance, it is shown that
143 communities, representing 527 per
cent of the total population, reduced
city and town budgets for 1882 by AZ
per cent as compared with 1881. In
Wisconsin a group of cities reduced
their 1882 tax levy by more than 8 per
cent. Thirty-one out of thirty-seven
cities discussed in the May number of
the publication Public Management re-
ported decreases in operating costs un-
der 1882, while nineteen of twenty cities
discussed in the June number of that
magazine showed similar decreases.
Mr.. Brownlow selects a popular ex-
ample in Milwaukee, to illustrate his
point that when a city is solvent" it
becomes a matter Of news. For, in
spite of the facts presented by Mr..
Brownlow to show the wide misappre-
hension existing as to the actual state
of affairs in the majority of cities,
Milwaukee has been advertised as the
city that made tax reduction famous
In this connection, it is interesting to
note that the taxpayers of Milwaukee,
with all the fame that good municipal
government has brought them, are
either not satisfied or are thirsting for
more and better publicity along the
| lines of tax reduction. Recent reports
| from Milwaukee indicate that an
attempt is being made there to restrict
| by referendum vote the maximum be-
yond which the city budget cannot 60.
, A similar move in Detroit-and one that
was capable of becoming a dangerous
boomerang by the ruthless destruction
of necessary municipal functions-was
! defeated
The chief point, however. is that local
taxpayers are becoming tax conscious"
as never before and are moving heaven
and earth to ease their local burdens
The contrast between conditions in
these other cities and in Washington
was emphasized by the nature of the
reductions made in the District appro-
priations for the current fiscal year.
Elsewhere the citizens, taking things
into their own hands, are forcing cuts
| to save their pocketbooks. Here the
| cuts in the budget, as elsewhere, are
reflected in curtailed public improve
ments, salary reduction of municipal
employees, together with a pairing down
OF normal maintenance and operation
costs. These, naturally, have the effect
CT increasing the local unemployment
problem and the welfare and relief work
Of the community in caring for the un-
employed But the local taxpayer in
Washington loses at both ends. His
local taxes are not reduced, as the cut
in the budget is made to relieve the
Federal Government, and his respon-
sibility as a contributor to private char
ity and as a taxpayer supporting public
welfare work Is at the same time in
creased.
In addition, of course, his Federal
taxes are increased in the same amount
that those of other citizens-who com
pensate themselves by cutting local
| taXeS-are increased