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

LICENSE FEE BEEF· UP TOO?Mayor Hints Business Receipts TaxBy JIMl\1ERRINERJackson's 8~ step backward from biscommitment to a thre&-mill jump came after beaccused councilmen ol caving in to pressuresfrom "big business" in rejecting the f.bree.millincrease."1bey (busInessmen) were able to line up 11votes. We were only able to get seven for thepoor people, the masses of this city," JacksonBecause the City Council killed his proposalfor a three-mill property tax bike, Mayor MaynardJackson 'I\J.e!day hinted be would supportincreases in proCessional license fees and the taxon gross business receipts to provide more reve-DUes.said in reference to the council's 11·7 voteagainst the tax hike Monday.Albert J. Bows Jr., chainnan of a Chamberof Commerce task force on city finance, said, "1don't know of anyone in out group that did anylobbying" with councilmen.Chamber of Commerce presklent Ivan AllenTIl had no comment on the allegation of lobbyingbut said that "almost the entire amount of the(tax) increase would have fallen on business."MthOugh a bigger tax bite will hurt smallbusinesses aDd tenants-who will probably absorbmost of the added tax costs of landlords-­Jackson argued that a tax increase would benefitthe pooc by funding crucial city services.Chief Administrative Officer Jute Sugarmansaid late Tuesday that "tht- nIF Is stili goingto strive fot • reveru! pa~. be equivalentto three mills. There may be JIll!! to substitutesome other kinds ol revenue IIlCISIftS."Asked specifically about l:ae fees andbusiness taxes, Sugarman ail that Jackson"would certainly give oonsi~·' to whateverplans the council might write.A recent effort by Counc:iJlla James Bondto raise the profeaiOnal liCft\St~ [rom $150 to$200 was killed by the council.Jacbon said In a morning,as oonlerencethat three mills is the "m1~ acceptable"amount needed and he would iii_ to pressfor it iI a IPtdaI COUDCi.I meelll~. 23. How-ever, Sugannan's comments Indicatld lh ! J rk.son is kIoking fOl: altemalh'es to the appartnUJdoomed three-ttull jwnp.Tuesday's de..-e1opmer!\s followfd • toW4.M-mill ~ in the Ia.l nte !otonday-U miliaby the school board and UK mills by the ~School board members SUJIPOI1.mC the increasewere Richard Ra)'Jl'lel", Carolyn CnmSer,Ass Yancey. Margaret Gt1gp mt June ColS'.Opposed were AnD W' oodward and AnrtlaIoannides. Board p1Sident Benjamin May:s didnot vote.The B·7 council vote "represents • 1'IctorJ'forthe businesscommuruty," Jacbonaald, add-----Budget.----FrOB. Pall~ 1.,\Ing taler, "primarily that was a victory or bigbusiness."Councilmen who voted for Jackson's threemillproposal were James Howard, James Bond,A~s Finlt:y, Arthur Langford Jr., HughPl~, Marvin Arrington and Q. V. Williamson.Opposed were Councilmen John Calhoun,Charles Heims, Nick Lambros, George CotsaltisRichard Guthman, I r a Jackson, Carl Ware:Gregory Griggs, Panke Bradley, Buddy Fowlkesand Jack Swnmers.Bows, senior partner in Arthur Andersen &:Co., said the Chamber of Commerce's fiscal taskforce was "jllSt called together Friday" andworked ali weekend studying the city budgetThe group concluded that the city's revenueprojectionJ!' were "a very conservative but soundforecast," that "it would be very difficult to findbudget reductions" and "all the increase in taxhurts the busine!ll, commercial and apartment0'il>'TleI'S. "Bows said the task force decided to supportthe school board's 3.3 mill increase and the council's1.04 mill raise, but no more. Ths Chamberwill "gUo with tile city and try to come up v.-ithother sources" In the lonn of local-option taxesthat might be granted by the state legislaturenext year, he said.Because of a jump In the homestead exemptionfrom $2,000 to $5,000 next year, the tax blowwill fall hardest on commercial property.The total U-I mUl Increase is meant to recoupthe revenues that would be lost to the biggerhomestead e.J:emption, not to produce morerevenue.Jackson said the city migbt be forced to layoff 60 to 80 policemen unless the council raisestaxes beyond I.M mills. f'mance CommiSsionerCharles Davis said the presently projected deficitof $0& million eooId mean that 400 city workerswUllose theit jobs.The mayor hinted that he might \'elo a ~cil measure to layoff some workers as aD. alternativeto raising taxes.