Show OR RENT FIRST T Bl oLo W I IS STRUCK TR K AT AI APARTMENT OWNERS BY CITY COMMISSIONER IN III RESOLUTION Herman H. H Green Proposes Creation of a Rent Commission of Three as Remedy to Excessive Charges by Landlords of City Resolution to Come Before Commissioners Next Tuesday ITY COMMISSIONER HERMAN H. H GREEN struck his first C CITY blow at rent reit profiteers wh who have been gouging the Salt Lake public with excessive and unreasonable increase in rentals when he offered to each commissioner for his consideration a copy of an ordinance he will vill bring before the commission Tuesday providing providing providing pro pro- viding for the appointment of a commission of three to make investigation of the rent situation The commission will wilt be bc empowered empowered empowered em em- powered t to call can before it such witnesses as it may deem ne necessary essary and to call upon the law department of the city for aid Under the terms of the ordinance the rent commission must report at an early date to the city city commission iry or r to any oth other r its recommendations as to the methods of ot remedying the situation and aid if no remedy can be found by which such rentals ma may maybe maybe be r reduced the commission shall recommend what steps may be taken that the public may secure by Increased Increased in increased In- In creased taxation or otherwise a a. proper share of the increased rentals if such action be be deemed just TEXT OF RESOLUTION The ordinance follows Whereas as It has been called to the attention of the board of ot commissioners commission commission- er ers t that P. P r I l house ouse owners and oth other r owners of residence property in hi Sa Salt t L Lake ke City have increased ased rentals beyond the necessities of the he situation and Whereas I Increases l in rentals have a direct bearing upon and aid in the increased high cost of ot living now therefore bo it Resolved That Thata a commission of three be appointed by the board loard of commissioners commissioners commissioners commis commis- to make make- investigation of the entire situation with relation to rental of property for residence purposes for Salt Lake City with power to call can be before before before be- be fore it such witnesses as may be necessary necessary essary and to call to its aid the members members members mem mem- bers of the law department of this city to assist in said investigation and said commission shall at an early date report to this board or to any other public official its recommendations as asto asto asto to methods of ot remedying the situation and If It no remedy can be found by which such rentals may be reduced the said commission shall shan recommend what steps may be taken that the public public pub pub- lic tic may secure by increased taxation or otherwise a proper prop r share of ot such increased rentals If It such action shall shan be deemed just Said baid aid commission shall shan be in the department of and under the direction of ot the commissioner commission commission- er of ot LEGALITY PASSED UPON The legality of ot such an ordinance has been passed upon by Will Vill H. H Folland city attorney and the ordinance ordinance ordinance nance if It passed by the city commIssion commission commission commis commIs- sion ca can cars be enforced Sentiment of the commissioners this morning trended towards the broadenIng broadening broad broad- ening of ot the ordinance so that it will include all an forms torms of ot profiteering and not the rent profiteering alone CommissIoner Commissioner Com Corn missioner Karl A. A Scheid and Commissioner Commissioner Com Corn missioner A. A H. H Crabbe take the stand that the matter under consideration Isa is isa isa a big question and that any action by the city commission should cover coverall coverall all an forms of ot The ordinance ordinance ordinance nance should give the commission broad powers leaving the decision as to where the start will be made to the commission they hold Then if it it seems advisable to single out the rent profiteers profiteers' for a target and begin the the- fight with an investigation of ot their methods and activities this can be done without any charges being Continued on page 8 I FIRST B BLOW I Continued from page 1 1 made of ot discrimination against this class of ot profiteers I NOT ONLY OFFENDER There Js is no evidence that the rent profiteer is the chief chiet offender in this matter and I do not think that he should be singled out as a target I Commissioner Scheid declared Such action would savor of ot discrimination against this one class of profiteers I Any ordinance of ot this character passed I by the commission should be broad enough to give the commission power to investigate all classes I The commission should be given power to Judge where it shall begin I its investigations and then it can start on the rent profiteer if that seems to be the best source Creation of or a large commission to Investigate the high cost of living problem in all Us its broadest phases is suggested by Commissioner Crabbe The question is a n big one and should be investigated as a whole by the commission commission commission com com- mission and then the commission rit- rit di divided I vided into to Investigate Investigate investigate I gate each phase Commissioner Crabbe I held I NEITHER OPPOSED Neither Commissioner Crabbe nor I Commissioner Scheid are opposed to the ordinance offered by Commissioner I I Green Their position is that any in investigation investigation in- in In-I In of profiteering should cover all phases of profiteering and andall andall all class of or profiteers and not simply I I the rent profiteer Vigorous denunciation of ot the Covey Investment company was contained ina in ina a letter signed Citizen and Taxpayer I read to the commission The letter was a carbon copy of a letter to Governor Governor Gov Gov- Gov- Gov Governor Simon Bamberger received by bv Commissioner Green The methods of I the Covey Investment company in raising raisin the rents of its five fire apartment houses were bared and the Hillcrest I apartment house flayed as It a fire trap The The commission when it discovered that that the letter was anonymous refused to allow it to become a part of ot the I record and cave It no consideration |