Toledo union journal. [volume] (Toledo, Ohio) 1942-current, 1946-03-01
Payroll Tax Referendum

In securing more than $4,000 sigma
lures to its referendum petitions, the PO-
litical Action Committee insures the citi-
zens of Toledo an opportunity to express
their sentiments, for or against the pay
roll tax ordinance passed last month by
City Council.
There are many things which could
be said about the referendum and which
no doubt will be said between now and
the time the people actually cast their
votes, but one thing is certain, PAC has
made an important contribution to the
continuation of democratic government in
Toledo.
Regardless what the sentiments of the
people may be relative to the payroll tax,
they will now be given an opportunity to
reject or confirm the action taken by
Council when it passed the ordinance.
Acceptance of the ordinance as it now
stands would, of course, prove to be dis
tinct blessing to our city government
which has been hard pressed for funds
with which to operate this city. But the
blessings would not stop there.
Passage of the tax ordinance by the
citizens even if a special election is re-
quired, would mean the savings of thou
sands of dollars in litigation by citizens
who otherwise might feel that the ordi-
nance required court testing. The courts
would certainly take into consideration a
vote favorable to the ordinance.
Defeat of the ordinance would mean
that City Council would be forced to de-
wise some other and more acceptable form
of taxation, possibly the same ordinance
with an exemption for low income earnerS.
1t would mean that the citizens did not
approve the ordinance in its present
form, rather than the purpose for which
the ordinance was devised
We all must recognize that Toledo has
reached a crisis in its financial Setup and
that tax refunding under the Enabling
Act last passed by the state legislature is
practically at an end. Governor Lausche
has indicated in very definite way that
even if the legislature could be prevailed
upon to pass the enabling legislation
again, which is doubtful, that he would
veto the bill.
Recognizing our critical financial situa-
ton and with the knowledge that this
city must have some assured and adequate
source of income, the citizens of Toledo
must make their choice.
Those who have criticized CIO-PAC
for its position in demanding and secur-
ing the right of the citizens of Toledo TO
vote on this issue, in effect are saying that
they do not trust the democratic process
and are fearful of the vote of the people.
We do not share the views of those in
dividualS who render lip service to pO-
litical democracy and then attempt to
place obstacles in the way of the system.
They are not assets to the payroll tax or
dinance or to the community.
When the people come TO vote on this
important legislation, they can express
their support or lack of support in the
knowledge that regardless what the ap-
parent cost may be, that the good out
weighs the evil and that from their vote
shall come a solution to our present fl
nancial problems.
To say that we lack the ability TO make
a wise decision or find an alternative in
the event the payroll tax is defeated is
to confess intellectual BANKRUPTCY.