The Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1870-1871, 1871-01-19

the S1eI fohce account and enabling the
City to reduce the police tax for the next
ensuing year, provided said surplus is
not used for any other purpose. Thus
far however the city has rendered no
account of these three quarters of one
per cent tax collected.
Section q of the Metropolitan Police
act empowers the different Councils and
Police Juries of the Cities and parishes,
comprising the Metropolitan District an
nually to cause to be levied and collected
by tax upon the real and personal pro-
perty subject to taxation according to
law, the sum annually apportioned by
the Board as the total expenses of the
Metropolitan Police.
Section % says that the State Treasurer
shall receive the sums estimated and an
portioned to the said Cities and parishes
OF the Metropolitan Police District, from
or through the Treasurers of said cities
or parishes respectively.
1t will be seen that the municinal oov.
ernment, within the Metropolitan Police
District, are merely agents whose duty it
is to levy and collect the tax necessary
for the support of the police, and this tax,
based upon the. estimate of the Board.
has nothing in common with the receipts
4
and disbursement of the Corporations as
necessary to carry on their own govern
ments, and cannot therefore Increase the
expenses of the City of New Orleans nor
render an additional tax of one per cent
necessary.
In the year 1867, the City of New Or
leans paid thesum of $577, ,O91, Is, for the
support OF her police. This was paid out
OF her usual revenues, without having
the power and without finding it neces-
saIy to levy an additional tax. The ex-
penses OF the Police being now paid by q
special tax, the revenues Of the City of
New Orleans are increased by the amount
formerly paid to her police. Thus the
Metropolitan Police does not take one
cent from the amount usually collected
Tor the maintenance of the city govern
ment.
The conclusion is evident that the re-
venues OF the City of New Orleans in
creased by over half a million dollars
formerly paid to the City Police, should
oe ample and sufficient to carry on the
city government, and that the extra
vagance OF the present administration
must be enormous when they discover
the necessity for an additional tax of one
per cent to meet their current expenses
OF their government.
Section 25 of the Metropolitan Police
ACT says that the estimate and appor-
tionment made by the Board shall be
submitted to the Mayors of the cities and
follce Juries Of the parishes within the
metropolitan Police District to consider
the same and if the said Mayors or
fohce Juries shall object in writing to
such estimate and apportionment or to
any portion thereof and SO notify and
cause to be notified the said Board of
commissioners, it shall be the duty of the
after to carefully revise the same and
consider the said objections, ETC., which
soes further to show that the Mayor and
Police Juries are merely agents and
guardians of the interests of the people
o see that no excessive or unnecessary
expenses shall be incurred.
On the 25th day of October 1870. the
5oard submitted to his honor the Mavor
4 New Orleans the apportionment and
ssessment of the Metropolitan Police for
ne year ending September 30, 1870.
Ihe burden of the expenses of the police
III directly upon the taxpayer, and as
uardian OF the interests of the people.
was the duty of the Mayor of New Or
ans to make his objections to the as-
sssment within the delay allowed by
W. No such objections have been
lade. On the contrary, the assessment
as admitted to be very reasonable.
We find the suggestion both in the re-
'rt OF the Mayor and Administrator of
counts, that the Legislature be asked
restore to the City Government the
'ntrol of the police SO as to enable them
limit its cost, and also the suggestion