New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-23
OFFICIAL.
THE CITY FINANCES
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF THE MAYOR

THE CITY FINANC6o
ANNUAL MESSAGE OF THE MAYOR
4 MAroR.Lry OF NEw 0RL ,d.S
December 20 ls1o.
TO the CITY Council Of New Orleans:
The citv charter provides that the Conn
1,ii shall. every year, in the month OF De-
cemhcr. Law an equal and uniform tax upon
ali real and personal property in the city,
Soc the ensiinp wear, and also impose an
ANIMAL license tax on trades, professions
and callings: that before fixing ana
deciding upon the amount OK taxes
70 be assessed, the Council shall cause
to be made out detained esIlna 1:
Of the items Of Liability ana expena,-
tu,a for said wear; and shall thereafter nix
such q rate of taxation, not exceeding one
dollar and seyenty-five cents on every nun
bred dollars OF valuation as, together with
other revenues, may be necessary 70 meet
ssid estimated liabilities and expenditures.
The required budget was adopted on the
twentv-sccond OF November; and ut the
meeting before the last the Council adopted
an ordinance imposing licenses on trades
professions and callings:
There are before the Council this evening
ofone and three quarters per cent to meet the
estimated liabilities and expenses OF the
budget: another of one-eighth OF one
per cent for the City Park; and a third OF
fhree-fourths of one per cent for the hcTc-
nolitan notice. The rate of the park tax is
fxed nv the law which requires the City
Council to assess it annually; that tor the
Netropelitan police is determined ny the
estimate Of the Police Board, whose ex-
pepditares are not subject to the supervision
or control Of the Council.
The aggregate rate of these three taxes is
two and five-eighths per cent. One and
three-fourths per cent is as high tax as
the law permits the Council to assess for
The purposes Of the budget. But he
report accompanying the estimates shows
that this tax is inadequate to meet
4he estimated liabilities and expendi-
.tures. within one million nine hundred and
sixtvsix thousand eight hundred and forty
eight dollars III ,966, 84S); and it Is proposed
TO provide for OF dispose OF this deficit:
tirst-By the issue Of bonds, with per-
mission of the Legislature previously to be
obtained, to fund the six hundred and two
thousand surplus floating debt.
Secondly the issue Of seven and three
tenths per cent interest improvement bonds
allowed by the charter, to provide for the
inability Of two hundred thousand dollars
1890, OOOl, for the cost of paving st. Charles
avenue. now being done under an old con-
tract-..the issue Of four hundred thousand
dollars ($400, 0O0) Of such bonds for wharves
shaving already been provided before"
Thirdly applying to the Legislature tor
power to levy a special tax OF one per cent,
and the power being granted, to levy such
tax; and,
! Fourth-By general retrenchment and
naopom;zinp of the resources of the city
government"
: In other words we are obliged, after
nine months control of city affairs to in
crease the funded debt by the issue OF one
million. seven hundred thousand dollars
Isl, 70O, 000l of bonds beyond the three mil
lion dollars $4,000, 0O0), authorized in the
charter to liquidate the floating debt; to IN,
crease the rate of taxes one per cent; and
TO promise retrenchMent and economy next
wear. / frankly admit that this requires
explanation, more than it has received.
That the necessity exists for further
issue Of bonds to liIuidate Obligations OF
every kind matured before this Council
came into office, is made plain by the state
apent of liabilities in the budget and in the
ACCOMPANYING report, and is, / believe
generally admitted. But that the es
fimated expenses for the ensuing year
after all the floating debt has beer
(. funded, should exceed the ordinary revenues
Of the city SO far as to require one
per cent increase of taxes, must excite Sur
prise, as also must our promise to retrencl
sseet year, as it is an admission that we have
left room for retrenchment. The tax
,will be taken for a fact; the promise as
q promise of a party already in default
An increase of the city debt in nine
months of million and a half beyond what
it was supposed to be; q speGal tax of one
per cent; and a promise OF retrenchmen'
and economy next year, are not sufficient
to restore hope and confidence to debt
burdened and tax-suffering people. ] have
NO doubt the taxes would be cheerfully ani
promptly paid if the tax payers had entire
faith in the promise. Tie Administrator
are doubtless sincere in promising economy
and retrenchment, but have they the resO
luton to carry it out effectivelyl
Remember, retrenchment means thai
We all have to put forth extra effort and
suffer incOnveniencies, and that somebody
is to be hurt; advantages are to be refused
desirable works are to be postponed; and O
clamOr for injudiciOus expenditures to be
firmly resisted; officers have to be dispensed
with, and those retained to be rigidly held
to render for their pay full equivalent OF
services. The number of employees should BIZ
reduced, blit the pay of those retained should
not be reduced below rate which would
be regarded as fair or even liberal, but no,
extravagant, for equal talent and service in
private business. 1t is easy to plan economy
and retrenchment for others to practice
it is difficult to practice 1t ourselves. This
subject of retrenchment will be referred te
again presently.
MOVEMENT OF FINANCES.
have caused to be prepared, with much
labor several tables which show the move
ment Of the finances since 1852, the year Of
the consolidation of the city, and the an
nexation of Lafayette. They will be found
interesting and instructive. / introduce
them here for reference, and in order t.
compare certain items therein, with similar
items in the various estimates of the budget
Table A.. shows the value of property III
the city, the rate Of taxation, the amount o.
tax and the amount collected each year
from 1852 to 1870, inclusive.
Table y, the amount Of the city debt
classified, each year, during the same
period.
Table C, the total amount of receipts o.
every name and nature, including loans
proceeds of city notes, bills payable, etc.
during the same period, each year.
Table D shows the receipts OF each clasl
of ordinary revenue in each year during ths
same period.
Table L shows the expenditures Of eaci
class in each year. The years 1867, 1853
obligations which composed the hoatin;
debt were incurred in these years, and the,
have not yet been posted to their apprO
pirate accounts. This is regretted, becaus
comparison of the estimated expenses 10
next wear with the expenses of these year
is especially desirable.
Upon examining table A, it is seen tina