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

PACE 4-A, WEDNESDAY, DECE;\IBER 18, 1974A Responsible VoteA majority of Atlanta City Councilmembers stood up to Mayor MaynardJacksc?n In rtsponsible fashion thisweek In rejecting the mayor's push fora three-mill property tallncrease.The mayor promptly blasted tbe 11C.ouncll members voting down his talhike, suggesting that downtown businessmenhad prevailed in pressuringthe 11 CouDciI members to voteagainst poor people. Well, the mayormay hav~ half a point in that downtown~ne:ssmen, feeling the sameeconomic pressures right now tbataff~ us all, were notably unenthusi_astiC about any tax hike. But is MayorJackson under Impression that poorpeople don't pay any taxes' That poor~ple don't live in homes' subject tohigher property tales? Or that people"':ho rent homes or apartments aren'thit also by a tal boost?N.o, this isn't a class issue, richa~aUlSt poor. We suuest the mayorwill be hard put to find people livingin Atlanta on limited Incomes (andthere are a lot) who favor his proposed. ~ree-mJlI tax boost. The CityCouDClIlooeed was reflecting the viewof most AUanta c1tizetts In rejecUn,Dew lues just at this time.The Cour!cil behaved wltb independ_ence and respollllibly In turning downa three-mill tax hike at this lime infaVor of additional budget cutling innext Y~l:r's proposed dty budget.Other Cities are managing to make~cb cuts. Why not Atlanta? The Councilalso: acted in responsible lasblon inapproving a 1.04 mill tax iflCfJlJe de­Signed to replace revenues by the increaseIn the homestead HerDptionfrom '2,000 to » ,000.The Atlanta school board also approveda tax hike Monday ODe lor 11mills, ostensibly abo to ~e up revenuesJ~ by the homestead exemption.The difference here is that substantiallylower pupil enrollment ought tomean substantial budget cutting. Thesame number of stafl positions, anda: en .tea.cbers. can not be JusUfiedwdh sinking enrollment ligures.It is valuable sometimes to giveproper mdil The City Council membersvoting against the mayor's threemilltax boost were Jobn CalbounCharles Helms, Nick Lambros Geor:ge Cotsakis, Richard GUthrnAn IraJackson, Carl Ware, Gregory Grlggs,Panke Bradley, D.L. (Buddy) Fowlkesand Jack Summers. On the school'board, Mrs. Ann Woodward and Mrs.~e~~des voted against the 3.3Clip and FileTbose City Council members vot­Ing lor the three mill property taxhike were James Howard JamesBond, Morris Finley, Arthur LangfordJr., Hugh Pierce, Marvin Arrington,and Q.V. Williamson..School board members voting lor theU milb tax boost were Mrs. Margaret. G~IP, Dr. Au. Yancey, Dr.8eD}&mln Mays, Ricbard RaymerMrs. carolyn Crowder, and Mrs. June:.Cofer.Kathryn Grayburn pJ ISl/~'l '11.:.~1J-'~..tJProposed Garbage Fee HikeNot Needed, IrresponsibleCitizens should bring pressure to defeat City CouncilmanRichard Guthman's proposal to raise garbagecollection fees to "make the service pay for itself."Quick and effedive disposal of garbage is a baSICright of the taxpayer. To make garbage disposal costlvin these times of recession could result in a healthhazardIf a man is unemployed and desperate to managemoney to feed his family and pay his note, it is certainthat he is not going to divert money from thesenecessities to pay for garbage disposal.Consequently, garbage could remain for weeks oncurbs, in backyards, in basements. This would encouragerats and vennin. The man who, unlawfully,might attempt to burn his garbage could start a firewith possible loss of life.Guthma n's proposal reportedly, would mean aninc rease of about $25 in the $44 annual fee now paid rorpickup at residences "with 100 foot wide lots." TheCouncilman said the amount of the increase wouldvary in direct proportion to the width of the lot.Reading between the lines, citizens can estimatethat sanitary garbage pickup is going to become a veryexpensive luxurv.Reports indicate that some affluent neighborhoodsalready have received the "herbies for curbies"o:pecial garbage bins). But some neighborhoods, inmany cases, not received these.Let our councilmen look into other methods ofcutting the city's budgetIt Will be deplorable if property taxes are raised in.\tlanta. because this deals a lethal blow to those!'('nior citizens who have spent a lifetime paying orrproperty in order to spend their old age in theirhabitat