New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-27
THE CITY HALL.

In the way OF drafts or PROJECT Tor new
laws, one is spoken Of among the Admins
traitors to amend the city charter and regu-
late the jurisdiction of the district courts
and justices of the peace of Orleans.
In this draft of an amended charter the
city is divided into thirteen wards, from each
of which city representative is to be elected
at time to be designated by the Council,
and all of the latter, with the seven Admin
istrators are to constitute the City Council
their powers to be the same as vested IN the
present body. The new Council, which is
to go into operation after closing the cleo
tions, are to adopt an estimate of revenue
for 1872 and the expenditures, and shall
agree upon them thereafter every Deem
Der. On the passage of the budget the
Council proceeds to the levy Of taxes, as
follows:
First. the city debt tax. which shall be
based upon the detailed estimate OF the
sinking funds and interest falling due. For
all bonds for which no other retiring pro
vision exists by law, an estimate shall be
included of not less than two and half nor
more than ten per cent OF the lace OF the
bonds outstanding of any of the several
of bonds offered at the most advantageous
rates, no bid to be accepted higher than
par, and the right reserved to reject all
bids No limit other than herein laid down
shall apply to this tax, which is hereby de-
clared vested right OF the bondholders
interested.
Second, tax for current city expenses,
including police and exclusive of interest
and schools This tax shall in no year ex-
coed one and q quarter per cent upon the
assessed value Of real, personal and mixed
property.
These taxes shall bear the name of the
year in which they shall be collectable, and
the assessments upon which they shall be
made shall be termed the assessments for
the said year.
An additional levy is to be made on the
basis of the last city assessment, not to ex-
coed one-half Of one per cent, exclusive OF
police and schools. The usual prohibitory
clauses in reference to contracts, directions
for disbursements of appropriations, quail
fications of city representatives, are con-
tanned in the body of the proposed law. 1t
shall be necessary for a representative to be
owner of at least $1,000 taxable property to
be eligible. The city is authorized to issue
improvement bonds for new excavations
and other work, besides wharf, cOnstruc-
ton and extension bonds All other issues
not specified in statute are forbidden, and
| if issued shall create no debt. The Admin
| istrator of Finance is to make daily returns
| of all warrants paid, or certificates and
| obligations received. The surveyor is made
independent of the council, and his office is
to be filed by election. Tax-bills are not
| to be collected by courts, but are to be reg
istered as mortgage against the property,
for the description of which the recorder is
not entitled to fee, but for raising the same
he can claim fifty cents.
We understand these amendments to the
charter are proposed by Mayor Flanders
and Administrator Shaw. 1t is little re-
markable that these gentlemen should have
| ignored that wholesome provision of the
constitution which prescribes that "there
shall be no property qualification for Of
| fice." Opinions are that the financial part
Of the programme is more muddled than
before, and that the "bond business is
piled up ''Pelion on Ossa.'
The failure is announced of q man in
New York who had earned the sobriquet of
the "king of the peach trade" The ambi-
ton of this person for the past two seasons
has been to control the market in the mat
ter of peaches He operated extensively in
this fruit, and handled the largest quantity;
but he has failed eventually, and with
probably little sympathy-at least from
other dealers-as BELTS man who selfishly
seeks to monopolize in his own hands all
the trade of certain industry.