The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-11-24
OFFICIAL.
Council Of Municipality No, Two.

Council Of Municipality No. Two.
SATURDAY. November %, 1851.
The Council met at five O'clock P. M, on the fol.
lowing call of the Mayor:
"Ar0HAsTT Soy.%ss! ss s.T y. 2isssIl,A's', issl:
''N' '''''1"' Esq., secretary seiSaS % Ss4asa 5 7o
SIR-Please convoke the Council of Municipality
No. Two, for Saturday. god inst, at five O'Clock Pm.
Very respectfully, your obedisnt servant.
A. d. CRossMAN. Mayor
Present. Aldermen Brother, Hawthorn, John.
son, Lawrason, Perry, Renshaw, Shields, Short
ridge, Stewart, Sykes, vontagen, Wheelehan and
Yancey.
In the absence of the President, Mr.. Shields, on
motion Of Mr. Brother, took the chair.
The following communication from the Mayor
was read
MAYoRALTY OF NEwoRIEANs,
November %, 1851
To the Hon. the President and Members of Council of
Munie,pdlty NO. Ttoo.
GENTLEMEN-I have caused you to be convoked |
this day, ,at the written request of Aldermen Broher
Renshaw and Yancsy ior the purpose of receiving |
reports from the Finance and Internal Improve
ment Committees
avail myself of this occasion to enclose petit
ton addressed to me by various residents in the
vicinity OF the corner of St. Charles and POydras
streets, the sgners which demonstrate to the
proprety OF permitting circus 10 be established
in that neghborhood. trust therefore, that your
Hon. Body Will take the prayer Of these petitioners
into due consideration.
Herewith, beg TO present you a package of
Directories. couta ming the names and residences
OF ali the Municipal officers and employees under
the City Government, and which caused to be
printed, for the greater convenience of persons
ransactng business with the various Municpali-
lies. ! have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your ohedlent servant
A. d. CRossMAN. Mayor.
~
and it was adopted after suspending the rules:
Resolued, That when special meeting Of this
Council is called that no other business shall be
transacted other than that for which the special
call IL made
The Fame gentleman as charmen of the oom.
mittee Finance, presented the following report
and resolution, to lie over thirty days:
The committee on Finance beg leave to submit
the following report, in conformity to the 9Th sec
tion of an Act OF the Legislature, passed March
18th, 1850, requiring the Council of each Munich.
pay, before laying any tax, to makei an estimate
or budget detailing the various items of expendi-
lures to be incurred during the ensuing year.
In view of said requirement we present to this
Council and 10 our constituents, statement of our
fiscal condition. 1t is not to be suppressed or dis
guised thai our monetary affairs are not in as IA
vorable condition as your committee could desire,
yet we are strong in resources and ability to pro-
vide for our Ohlie eatons and with proper legsla
live aid, could ef1ectuay ameliorate our condition
without being compelled to levy an oppressive tax
in coming years. We will take brief review of
the prominent causes which have led to the en-
bsrrassmen's under which we now labor, and sug.
gest such remedy as in our judgment will bring us
p-rmanent relief and place our credit on firm
and solid basis for the future.
A principal cause which has hampered and par
slyzed our eHeTtiOns to make proper provision fol
liabilities, past, due and maturing, arises from
the action Of our last Legislature in passing such
imperfect laws did not meet our requirements,
or proved totally imperative, among which the LIZ
qnidaIing Act stands conspicuous Ihis law hav-
ing been contested for long period in our Courts
is pronounced ultimately, unconstitutional in all
its paris and our treasury has in consequence been
embarrassed by having the sum of $3.50 600 thrown
back upon it, which it was contemplated to provide
for through the action of the Board of Liquida-
tors elected under the law, and for which no esti'
mate made in the budget of last year, as the
Council on the 9Th day of May, 1850, transferred
the entire Indebtedness of this Municipality to the
liquldators, as 1t was then supposed that Boart
would be competent under the law TO provide fol
The payment of that large sum, but not doal
from that source was ever made available to oul
treasury
The present Indebtedness of this Municipality il
not large, in view of its wealth and resources, bu
the difficulty of it's position arises from the fac
That so large proportion of its obligations are nov
due and maturing in the next year.
Was the present debt bonded one having from
thirty fifty years to run, the payment of the in
lerest, with sinking fund to quidate the princi
pal,l would be light burthen for our Tax payer
One per cent tax for the first few years would b.
abundant and as the debt decreased by purchase
from the sinking fund and the wealth Of our cit.
increased the lax each year would diminish in
double ratio.
1t is greatly to be hoped and desired that tn
next Legislature will give the Municipalities au
thorty to issue bonds having from thirty to fft
years to run, with liberty to sell as occasion ma
require, to pay obligations as they mature. LII
payment Of principal and interest should be pre-
vided for by funding law, similar in many rt
to the Funding Act Of 1S47 excepting that tn
prompt and punctual payment of the intere.
should be secured against all contingency.
The existing laws in reference to the presel
mode of collecting our taxes should be amende,
Our tax bills now only have the force of ord
nary accounts, and can only be collected (whe
resisted or delayed) by the same process of la
governing the latter, whereas the State tax bill
have the force of judgment and execution, and
not paid on or before certain prescribed perlo'
the property on which the tax is assessed can
advertised and sold, without any other prelimnar
proceedings whatever. If the Municipal tax bill
were placed on the same footing, the large expen,
for commissions to collectors could be di
pensed with by giving the Treasurer's Office OF
additional clerk. The collections could then
made in time to meet the demands on the Trea
NV, which is not now the case, as it will be pc
CelVeQ Oy tHe estiiiidtt Ill tHiS NcpoIt @fopU
of taxes now due are not expected to be collect
until next year.
We are of opinion that the General Coun
should be re-organized upon fairer and mo
equitable basis, upon the republican principle S
forth in our Declaration Of Independence, tn
representation and taxation should be equal, whi
doctrine has always been deemed and acted up
as one Of the fundamental principles Of our ins
tutions. In the present organization OF our Ge
eral Council, it consists of four members from ca
Municipality, which, at the time Of its formatic
may have been just, but now is manifesty uneqr
and unjust The Second Municipality, from /
wealth and population, is made LIABLE under
isting laws, for about 5S per cent (6fty-eight
cent) of the old City Debt and the same per ce
age for the expenses of the said Council, Cour
Jails, Mayors Office, etc. and hence, under
great principle asserted above, this Municipal
would be entitled to seven members out of
twelve now elected, or 6fty-eight per cent. Of Il
body, and upon the basis Of population only, to abb
fifty per cent, or six members.
Our receipts from levee dues will be diminish
in our estimate $50, 900, in consequence Of the
ducton OF dues contemplated by new ordinaI
OF the General Council, which will relieve fore
ship and steamboat owners to that extent and '
nave to be made good by taxation on our own c
zens.
put little new work or improvements are
present under contract, or in contemnlaton IN
ordered. The extension of the ,b;n ,yb.rya.
steamboat landings are the only works now
gfessihg involving much expense. and tbese
provements were indispensable for tho con vsn;.
Of commerce and the necessities of opr r..
If the Council will strictly adhere to the no'
now pursued, keeping streets and land;nu.' u'
good order, but projecting no new work excepi
L.. .-.l.n