A MAYOR BOOED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 833, 5 August 1933, Page 1

A MAYOR BOOED.

New Yorkers Angry Over Car Tax. NEW YORK, July 10. Mr John P. O'Brien, the Mayor of New York, has made himself highly unpopular with many New ork residents and others living outside the city radius. The Board of Aldermen has approved of a new tax on motor-cars to equal that already paid to the State, while owners of out-of-town cars must pay Is each time they enter the city bv one of its great bridges across the Hudson and East Rivers. It is further suggested that a tax of 2id shall be paid on each taxicab fare, with authority granted to the taxicab companies to raise their mileage charges. There are 700,000 New York people who have motor-cars in the city, chiefly for recreation, and the new tax is raising a storm of protest. Car owners swarmed into the city hall and forced Mr O'Brien to postpone a final decision on his new plans to raise £6,000,000. The city fathers are on the horns of a dilemma. Wall Street has come to their rescue with a promise to renew the loans granted, but only on condition that they balance the city’s budget. More economy within, or taxes from without, are the only means of satisfying the creditors. Mr O'Brien visited the great fight at the Yankee Stadium, in which Max Baer, of California, defeated Max Schmeling, the German. When he was seen sitting beside the Tammany chief. Mr John Curry, someone shouted: “Have you got a motorcar, Mr Mayor?” and booing continued for some time. Mr O'Brien has now promised that a public hearing on the obnoxious taxes shall be held.