4a NDEEK, *,

THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY

1230 YORK AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10021

November 9, 1978

 

JOSHUA LEDERBERG

PRESIDENT

Dr. Philip Handler

President

National Academy of Sciences
2101 Constitution Avenue
Washington, D. C. 20418

Dear Phil:

Thank you for your comments about our response
to Mayor Koch's demand for voluntary payments in
lieu of taxes. I share your uneasiness about the
credibility of the argument of "talking poor" and
seriously pondered whether to allow it to remain in
the letter. However, as we might have an unwonted
reputation for affluence, which might be reinforced
further by possibly distorted disclosures about the
RBF grant, I finally concluded that we should leave
no grounds for distinguishing ourselves from other
academic and research institutions which share the
same plight. The only other distinction that can be
rationally posed as between us and for-profit organi-
zations is that industry, as a whole, is better able
to pass on its changing costs to its ‘customers.

I certainly agree with the implied caution against
self-righteousness in the presentation of these kinds
of arguments; and I welcome your comments.

Yours sincerely,

Joshffa Lederberg

P.S. Thank you for subbing for me at the Weizmann
affair.

Encl.