Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-04-01

Total, S729, 600
The Board Of Aldermen passed the bill
OF the committee on three readings. but
the Common Council decided to 90 slow on
il, and it was referred TO a committee oil
three, consisting Of Brown, (colored, }
Saunders and Long.
The bill reada thus: r-f.
Section 1. That the sum of eIepen mills
in the dollar be, and is hereby levied as q
tax upon all real and personal property 10
the corporation, subject 10 taxation, for geo.
sral corporation purposes. 81 tl'
Sec. 2. That the sum of four mills in
the dollar be, and is hereby levied as 9
tax upon all real and personal property in
the corporation subject TO taxation-which
tax shall constitute, when paid, fund tc
be called the Interest Fund. Said fund
shall be held by the Treasurer and sppro-
priated TO the payment of the interest upon
the funded debt of the corporation-and
the said tax shall be collected az provided
by section ten amended charter city Of
Nashville.
Sec. 3. That the sum of four mills in the
dollar be and is hereby levied upon all
the real and personal property in the cor.
poration subject to taxation, for the sup
port Of the Public Schools, and that the
said tax shall be collected in legal cur.
rency of the United States. - : .
Sec. 4. That the sum Of one mill in the
dollar be, and is hereby levied as tax
upon all real and personal property in the
corporation for the purpose of creating g
sinking fund for the payment of the funded
debt Of the city of Nashville, as the SAME
shall mature, and said tax shall be col
lected in the legal currency Of the United
States, and set aside as provided in an or.
dinanee approved September "a, 1868.
SEC 5. That the sum of ttoo dollars
be, and is hereby assessed, as a poll tax
on every male inhabitant of the city
of Nashville between the ages of twenty
one and fifty years, provided that per-
sons who have been wounded in the mill
tary service of the Government and
ministers Of the gospel shall be exempt
from this tax This tax when collected
shall be set aside and appropriated to
the maintenance of the public schools OF
the city of Nashville.
A single feature in this measurs exposes
the deplorsb,e condition of the corporation
exchequer. 1t is the provision that one.
fourth of the general levy of twenty mills
on the dollar, shall be collectable in legal
currency of the United States, viz. four
mills for school purposes, and one mill for
a sinking fund. This provision shows that
there are extraordinary levies.
The fact is, the school tax has not been
collected 10 strict accordance with the in.
tent of the Law establishing that item Of
public expense. 10 place of being collec-
ted, held and disbursed for the special
and go to speak, sIcred" purposes
for which it is imposed, it has been al
lowed to go into the general fund, and be
checked out for indiscriminate uses. The
necessities of that department must be
met to the full. The schools cannot be
placed in danger of lapsing 10 the least.
The Council cannot compel the payment
Of taxes 10 currency. Its own scrip will
pay taxes for any purpose. 1t is the duty
of the Board to devote of whatever cur
rency may voluntarily be paid in seventy.
nine lhoueand dollars--lhe school esli.
mate, for that purpose, first of all, II
cannot cOerce it. The taxpayer can make
tender of checks or warrants that will be
legal.
The one mill currency tax for sinking
fund (Ominous name) is out Of the ques-
ton. Citizens who know something oftbe
history Of sunk funds, will be 10th TO com
ply with this feature Of the proposed law,
and as we have said, it is not enforceable
In the courts.