Evening star., 1933-01-31
nate by Mail-Payable In Advance.
A Sales Tax for New York.

The new Governor Of New York,
herbert H. Lehman, Is preparing 10
meet the deficit in the State treasury
left on his hands by the former Governor
President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This deficit, which is estimated to total
Sll4,40O 900 by next July l, Is Serl-
ous proposition for the pepole OF the
Empire State, just as the deficit IN the
Federal Treasury is serious thing Tor
the people of all the United States IN
cluding New York. Gov. Lehman pro-
poses to take care Of this deficit by
drastic increases in the State income
TAX. Exemptions are lowered and
tax of per cent additional without
personal exemptions is to be levied on
Ill persons making income returns. The
income tax increases, however, will not
b suficient, and Gov. Lehman has
turned to that tax which "horrified'
Me President-elect, Mr.. Roosevelt, the
sales tax.
The sales tax differs in some respects
from the sales tax with which the
Democratic leaders in the House pro-
posed to make possible the balancing
Of the Federal Governments budget,
only to meet the rejection OF the Idea
bg Mr.. Roosevelt Gov. Lehmans
proposal Is a three -fourths OF one
Der cent retail sales tax on all COM
nodities except food and motor fuel,
expected to raise $4,000, 900. The sales
tax proposed by the congressional lead
era was a manufacturers sales tax on
all commodities except food and cheaper
clothing.
The present Governor of New York
has come face to face with realities.
The President will do the same
when he enters the White House March
4. Since his election he has been dab
bling In the water. Without any di-
recting authority by virtue OF public
ONCE, but nevertheless with actual
pover In his hands, he has played the
part of a back-seat driver. For example.
he effectually shut of the passage OF
lerslation calculated to balance the
budget because he was not ready to give
his Endorsement to the kind Of tax
which would be effective to that end.
The need Of q balanced budget for
the Government Of the United States
Il no less than for balanced budget
for the government Of New York. Gov.
IAhman has not hesitated to deal with
thu matter. 1t is t6 be presumed that
Mr.. Roosevelt will act just as firmly
N regard to the budget problem when
ha enters the White House, although 1t
does appear that he has shown lack
Of political Judgment In his failure to
give his sanction to balanced budget
By legislation approved by the Repub-
Ican President Mr.. Hoover. Gov. Len
man has combined increases In the
income taxes with the sales tax and
cuts in the expenditures Of the State.
He has undoubtedly done so because he
was convinced that increased income
taxes and expenditure cuts would not
meet the situation. Mr.. Roosevelt, II
the reports OF Ills dtbaIuoe SoAi VIC
credited, believes that drastic govern
mental cuts plus income tax increases
and q beer tax will take care OF the
Federal budget, with, perhaps, some
additional bond issues. But the roar
Of disapproval which went up from the
country when at his conference with
the congressional leaders In New York
. few weeks ago the proposed increases
on small incomes was brought forward
was SUFFICIENT to call halt on the
proposal that such legislation should be
MT forward in the short session.