1 - Ivan Allen, Jr. Digital Collection - Georgia Institute of Technology

City Finance Panel/::;Shies From Tax HikeThe Atlanta City Coundl's FinanceCommittee. after considerable grumbling,has decided not to commit itself yet on theidea of a fun!e.mlJl property tax int:rease.The committee decided Friday not tooffer any proposal at all in Monda~s CityCouncil meeting. Instead. lhe committee Jetthat distasteful chore fall on CouncilmanRichard Guthman.Guthman intend! to introduce a proposal",llich would authorize only a 1.04 mill in·crease. That is the figure which the financedepartment sayS will bring In just enoughmoney to offset the effect ot InCPeased hom.stead exemptions.The committee's Idea was to meet nextThursday with no commitments on how itwill treat the 1975 budget.Gutbman's proposal would defy MayorMaynard Jacbon's JnlPOSaJ, already approvedby him and t~ of the four council.men woo are members of tlleApproJXiationsCommittee, to raise taxes hy three mill!.Jackson's plan 'oIolllJid provide n millionto offset higher homestead exemptions andanother $4 million above what the city hadearlier eX'pSCted in 1975 revenue. The mayorhas said that the extra money is necessary ifthe city is to avoid iITCparable damage as aresult of declining city servict.!l.Jackson's plan would set the 1975general fund budget at $89.8 million. That isstill below the finance department's earlierestimate of the minimum needed to carry onpresent city services.The generally conservative finance departmenthad proposed a $90.1 millionspending plan. Jackson inserted $1.7 millionin for other purposes, making a total of $2million worth of programs which have beentrimmed from. the fmance department version.>./,y/II/7'J.&Tax Is Essential_ J~~,.,t!,',o....J:...-In Jackson/s ViewBy HANK EZELLNone of the proposals nowberon! the City CouncI1 b asatisfactory alternative to hisproposed three-mill propertylax increase, in Mayor May.nard Jackson's view."The idea of anything lessthan a three-mill tax is totallyunrealistic," Jackson said in a'lUesday press con(erence.He termed the presentfinancial situation "a goldenopportunity to show that weare behind our city" andurged citizens to tell theircouncilmen Ihey support theproperly tax increaseproposal.As he has. before, Jacksonvowed thai he will not leadAtlanta Into deterioration bypinching off city services. "Ifwe wanl a secorxl class city\0\" can pay second classtaxes ...• We can deliver afirst class city without firstclass taxes - all we want is alittle more," Jackson said.Also Tuesday, Jackson announcedtwo good·wiU tripsaround the state which he saidare the first of a series designedto tell Georgians, par_ticularly General Assemblymembers, "that we don't havehorns." Jackson wiU go toRome Thursday and to Way·cross Friday.The mayor called Council·man George Cotsakis' cost.cutting proposals "unrealistic"and "unworkable." T1Iecity can't layoff 800 workers,Jackson said, "without lettingservices go down the drain."Cotsakis' proposal, nowmodified to include a 500-per.son lay.oH, also includes post.p6ning of capital improvements.moving the Cycloramato a more central location andseveral other items.Jackson was equally glumabout proposals from Council.man Richard Gulhman tomake City employes take fivedays off without pay next yeatand to raise garbage collection fees to a break-evenpoint.The five.day layoff Is "unrealistic,"Jackson said, becausecity workers are al.ready making 17 to 20 per'cent below prevailing wages.On tbe garbage prop:>sal,Jackson responded, "no way."He added, however, that rates Imust go up for those residentswho pay extra lor backyardgarbage pickup.The present $44 a yearextra fee for backyard pickupmust be tripled if elected offi.cials want. to be responsible,Jackson said.Although others may bepaying less than cost for theservice, the $44 backyard feeis the "grossest inequity," IJackson said.Guthroan's proposal is toraise the fees about 62 percent across the board, indud- ./ing apartments and commer.cial property. ~The various spending iproposals all grow out of acity budgeting situation whichJa('kson has called the worstsince the 19305.Jackson's proposed 1 9 75general fund budget is $89.8million. It includes cuts ofsome $% million from 1 h espeOOi.ng plan which financialanalysts ha,-e called a barebonesspellding level.II