The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-08-24
rTNArogs OF THIRD MUNIoIPAL1T1
- a rnr rlnANcE COMMITTEE.

PEpoRT or THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
v f,oroittee recommended in April last an INCREASE
Ct taxes ne Co9C and lie necessity Of the measure But
high taxes and increased revenues. uies of
5 MRncioay thorough system n the collection aad
disbursement of funds indispensable me oie and he
With financial matters should keep regular accounts anu
brought TO frequent regular and accurate osrs
secure these radical reform in our
fivev demanded the following taciS clearly
The debt Of the Municipality has been made 70 aSue
4 ant amo1nt by different statements with singular ana
inconsistency In his Message the Council
Nav T. 1877 the Mayor says: by i9'Ses
me BY the Treasurer informed that The tota, iiaD IF
Of the Third Municipality amount to $848 & report o.
the Finance Committee submitted to The Coaaet On g F o
Of December following states the debt al yss
tbis Il youd appear that the debt OF the Municipality was
fact it had been increased IN that time at least soOg az
will be evident upon referring to accompanying
neI Statement as complete as your Commtee able to
make it, the liabilities now amount to $3.50 o. arc NOT
bmHgb TO an audit during whole year, though purchases
and sales large amount are made by NM anu eoisi'e
| able sums received for work done by prisoners ,,t
The collectors have made inli ana regular ss ;J e.
ments they make weekly pay III 6o No examna
ron Of their accounts Some OF them never kept acCouL
bTt did business simply by payments to the Treasurer ana
BV the falue Of the proper records the municipality Is La
HE for claim amounting to 49, GEO. brought by the 9ecohu
Municipality for Ievee dues and although II : geneIay
agreed that regular accounts had been kept this mHne
patty would have counter cram ii e'ludHy d R " '
larger against the other municipalities. - M; inc
The attorneys have kept accounts; ana az tnS tlle
there is officer OF the municipality whOG can iel o
oT what suits for taxes court or what judgments re-
/
nnhlp far him 10 know as the collectors authorized TO
institute suits when they pleased that hg!heopS
instituted without his being notified thereof ana ta OWE
TO the informal manner which some SUITS were gI0ugh'
and The absence of requisite evidence IN others the nnc
naV was nonsuited very frequently and Of course e-
eTad liable for all costs Suits instituted IN 1910 nave only
been set for ta within lew weeks Juqge%' II az I8i IA
AS and 49, amounting in the aggregate 70 not eis ah
ing that after bringing SUITS he would receive Instructions 20
stop proceedings; and when judgments were 9bained ne
stTucted by the Finance Committee The Treasurer having
no knowledge OF those Judgments and SUITS mas n many many
cases received from parties sued me amount Oh men taAs'
thus creating difficulties IN the settlement oil co's IN
The Surveyors books are never examined this officer has
charge of all wOrkneu employed makes out their monthly
approves the bills presented herefoand has been Gus
oary with the Surveyor to give certificates 70 properly
of those claims unknown at the EreasuTers office until
presented with the Mayors asking for payment
AS to the amount OF the floating debt warrants bonds,
Sc no correct estimate be formed by the Treasurer as
the only evidence he has as the existence OF portion
thereof when demands made on hum Tor settlement
There records OF contracts made with or by the MUM
| cpaity or any inventory OF Municipal properly L.
Your committee deem incumbent on them to lay before
the public 54et statement IN answer 70 s9g e Gon
ell Or why this council cannot do as much as the Council
When the present Council entered Office, they found
every Of revenue pledged exhausted ana toang
venue for the year. This debt continually camorng at
the Treasury in every tom from five dollar bond TO a one
The last Legislature passed an act forbidding Municipal
Councils to expend more than their annual In
stead of preparing the Municipality for the operation OF the
law by contracting and obtaining time on the debts
1875 a over and above the received and throwing
the payment thereof into this year.
In compliance law, the revenues arising from The fort
and Market f os dePGsea 70 Bay AR b 665c 6es
fore has the Of the moneys collected and thus Spe-
' be oS vs carts &c for the year 1913 amounting
$l2l65 CO. was collected N the month OF Jannaty ana
all expended, though the lst AlgnGlpay was emitted by
law reimbursement of $47 OV,the payment OF winch
Of the tax on Coeehouses Cabarets Merchants ETC. for
ycudsd Fifteen thousand dollars borrowed last veal
heretofore yielded the Municipality about twelve hundred
dollars annually TINS mortgage expired ON the i9th DAY o
rents forever lost the Municipality The sole reliance
to meet current expenses (n the tax real estate and
taxes l8iS be collected has been and sui Is the a1
on COeehouses for three quarters OF the and ING
6oues etc for the second quarter due 1st OF ii
paid into the Treasury almost wholly IN Municipal paper
The third quarter due the lst of July has been little NOR
fruitful of current money, and believed that this tour
quarter, cOecabe the LIST OF October next, afead
| Orestaed by Municipal obligations. ,
The areaage of taxes on real estate and slaves thoTgi
large in the aggregate affords but trltlmg income I'M
bills unpaid, mostly for small amounts, or agans
persons who having long escaped the payment of taxes mus
be forced to settlement by SUIT The tact unqenlaRle
that many property holders of them persons OF wealth
have paid taxes for S or seven years to the Muncpay
and some now from long lmpunty are inclined 70 ook 10
entire exemption; and tits generally found that those VIII
decaim against taxation those who have not pau
taxes at all The bills against these are now IN the hands
the Collectors and already entered IN suit. OF the al
rants ETC. so thatthe of current received int
the Treasury notwithstanding the most strenuous e1eion
eeeded $1,000 per month while the monthly expenses az
The public schools were in miserable condition the teach
ers unpaid tor months and the pupils nearly destitute
= books. The late report OF the Board OF Education place
TINS matter clear light that little need be said on tn
subject The Board by perseverance above all praise ha
supplied the pupils with books and stationery adopted
l. system Tor the organization of the schools from which tn
# happest results be anticipated. They (he Boadl It
commend that suitable school houses should be erected whc
d ycu Committee as matter OF economy and necessity thin
10 ought to be done.
e The draining maehine for want Of timely repairs was
in a wretChed state OF delapdatIOn and decay heav
outlay required prevent the entire stoppage of the mi
r situated in the back part of the Municipality,
The wharveS and levee require considerable eXpenditu
ii | for their immediate repair.
h Many Of the streets have been long neglected and all
them with the exception of few of those paved have bee
I'd brought by nearly four .mOnths continuance of rain,
/. almost impossible condition; Fifteen thousand dollars
least will be required 10 put them IN order when the ~eat
Thrust be evident when so much is required be don
u and the to dot are 50 mted-when ITS action IS Ell
baassfd by such demands and
As viii be seen by statement A the debt of the Nunic
(Which has increased with accumulated velocity
the division Of the et) has reached the enormous amOg
of 1913 373 80 and by statement b. that due share of
- was incurred during last year. These statements are derive
from the TreasuTers books and are believed to be near
TO afford reasonable prospect of the eyenua payment
Us this debt the rigid economy must be introduced in
n gy the collection of the revenues The present Coun
has thus far resOutey acted upon this principle. No
is has been adopted deemed absolutely IT.
expenses have been reduced IN several items below
lg amoGn nanse 9 and e 6cb Mas Snt them 10 az
lowest point. Your committee believes that these ends
he Comphoer and that the hope may be entertained Of
speedy restoration OF municipal credit The mi
eS be estimated follows
Mt The Levee dues and Market. $4,000
NJ Licenses, Al 900
10, Tax real estate and slaves, 70,09J
ng Total........................... .s154C.o
tie The ordinary expenses Of the Mqnicipality cannot
brought below 900 If then $4,000 be allowed for pa
ing there will remain balance of S54 Co., which
iudiciously appropriated under the late funding law will
he | tinguish the debt within reasonable PERIOD
The opening of the streets when called for and the dra
on ing of the of the Municipality contemplated VIII
I'm they VIII increae e ~eajR ol me un?panty and add
er Your committee, in conclusion would say, that soon
the for 1913 completed the coecliO
on shall be made promptly and your committee take peast
in stating that the State Assessors AIessn Sommereau