Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-06-02
DAILY EVENING STAR
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Of Common Council as reported by Mr. Doug
las from the Committee on Ways and Means
The rate OF tax being left blank
Mr. Miller proposed to fill it up with rs
cents. =
Mr.. Wannall proposed so cents
Nj Pepper proposed go cents.
Ar. Pepper said that if the rate was put at
IS cents 1t would in reality form the increased
assessment over 81, so that in fact even if the
rate was the same, the increased assessment
makes that rate greater, so per cent being adj
ded In some instances to the assessment, and
even 100 per cent in others If reduced to 60
cents 1t would be equal to 10 cents by the in
creased assessment. He compared the assess
ment of Washington with other cities, the lat
ter were never assessed for real estate at more
than two-thirds of It's value, while in this
city it was assessed al the highest value -
Moreover they included in the taxes several
municipal advantages which were no include
in Washington lie looked upon the charter
as q complete nullity, and dared any section
to be brought into Court law which conld
not be set aside. He was for reducing the
present rate OF taxation at least Is PER cent.
The question was taken first on Mr. MiIIer;s
amendment, which was carried-ayes Ii, NAYS
DR.. Busey proposed that the per centare
commission of the collector should be reduced
from TO 2 per cent. a.
M 4he"u PioPOseu tuil ILLS latter should
be II per cent; which was lost-ayes 3, nays
l6.
DIR. Busey q amendment was then put, and
carried-ayes Is, nays /.
The bill, as amended. was then passed
The bill was afterwards returned with the
amendments of the Board of Aldermen, which
we're not cOncurred in, the first amendment
being lost by majority-ayos S, nays H..
The second amendment was then put, which
was lOst-ayes 4, nays ).
In the Board of Aldermen, the tax bill being
taken up
MIR Borrows moved tina. instead of IS cents
IS cents be inserted This would be ample
with the increased assessment The people
expect the rate to be lowered, and he was sat
ished that II could be done. He said that the
applicants for city Offices were so numerous
amounting to 300, that they could cause a
revolution In the city when they liked. He
should like the appointments to be elected by
the people, instead Of being vested in the
Mayor, wherever the people desired it The
salaries of officials ought to be lower and then
there could be reduction of taxes
Mr. Magruder spoke as to the guttering of
the wards, which the former speaker said
would henceforth be trifing. There was a
debt of $4,000, and another debt of Sl5 900,
: which only required the sanction of the Mayor
to be passed Nearly all the wards had over
drawn their credit and the public improve
ments in his ward were far behind the private
improvements, and petitions to that effect were
being got up by the Inhabitants He was not
prepared to vote for reduction of taxes, and
he should like to have had the estimate of the
Register as 10 their probable expenses, and
what would be required. He had hoped to
have voted for a reduction TO 90 cents but
could not make up his mind to il with the in
formation before him. If the taxes were
H.. 81, IL
selves from carrying on their necessary i'm
provements ID
Mr. Hill thought that some reduction was
desirable, and now was the time to do it, or
else it must lie over for another year. There
would be an increased income of So goo by
this rate Ii the First Ward are unable to get
on with the proposed increase of 5000 or
10000, would it not be better to have a special
taxation, and make the inhabitants pave their
streets, instead of graveling them every two
or three years At 20 cents, the income would
amount to Sl60,000; at G21 cents, to $3.50, 600;
and at 81 cents, to 81 a 0GO
Mr. Magruder replied, and observed that if
the plan he had proposed to merge the ex-
penses Of all the Wards together had been car
lied out, it would have been better The
Second " ard had very large improvements to
make, and would require the increased rev.
enue-so would the First Ward, as well as the
Seventh, and some of the others.
Mr.. Mulloy said that in addition to the 10
cents, they paid 81 tax for school fund,
which made Sl75. He should 90 for the low
est ebb.
Mr.. Towers thought the past revenue of the
Corporation sufficient to defray its judicious
expenses, most OF Its extra expenditures for
the canal, &c, having been accomplished, and
will not be necessary again Ior several years
he came prepared to make an amendment,
fixing the rate at such sum that the revenue
should not be greater than that of last year.
In most Instances 1t was an exorbitant assess
ment, ne could say 50 personality the high
rate OF assessment would have the effect of
driving capital into stocks He should follow
tie proposed amendment, but intended to have
offered % cents for general purposes, and 3
cents for school purposes. There as but one
extraordinary expense which would be re-
CURED namely, new market house; but that
would pay for itself 10 five or ten years, with
out recourse To the revenues Of the Corpora.
ton.
Mr.. Bayly was not satisfied that they could
do with less than IS cents; unpopular a doc
trine a. it was TO raise taxes. If they were
reduced II would be difficult to raise them up
again. 1t would be better to let it ee over for
the new Corporation, although he was pre-
pared to vote for IS cents. -.
Mr.. Morgan said there were important i'm.
provements to be made in his part of the
ward, and spoke upon the subject Of general
sewerage. Ihe local Improvements in his
ward would require an increased revenue, and
he was therefore not disposed to reduce it.
Mr.. Hill went infinitely into q financial
statement of the expenses of the wards and
said that q seventy FIVE cent rate would bring
revenue of over 500 900, which would not be
required. He would prefer special. taxation,
which would be encouraged by reduced taxa
ton. He should move reduction OF eight