, 1874-08-17

will deter pnople from accepting AEr. Dcechor's
statement ~ aual and conclusive.
.-------.--=
OUR MUNICIPAL FINANCES.
The City OF Chicago Is governed by = olartcr
which, In itself, IL = patchwork Of legislation,
general aud special, running over a period OF
moro than twenty ycars. To understand that
chartor, with its varied mud inconsistent provis-
ions. rendered moro complicated BY judicial do
ciBions upon a variety Of isolated questions, ro-
quircs not only good legal mind but 1ourse
| Of special study. Our affairs aro much ombar-
rassod by tho fact tint our political yoar begins
iii December, our municipal year in Afnrch, our
appropriation yoar tho first OF July our annual
tntotoat is payable in July aud january. como
Of oar taxes full duo in A1ny, others in Novona-
bor, and tho rest at other dates. Tho great evil,
however, is that the taxes levied for any ono year
aro not collected Until from three to Blk months
after that year has expired; that tho taxos,
out Of which $4,000, 600 Of appropriations for
I a given year have to bo paid, bavo no
funds applicable for that pnrposo savo tho pro-
ccctla Of levy Of 81, 5,500, 600 made for tho year
previous; that NO arc always year bohind
band i'll our tax-leyy; and that our appropria-
tons always exceed by from S400, 600 to 5000, 900
year tho money collected to defray them. So
long az tile city was authorized to aell bonda aud
build up q debt thoBe annual do6cloncies were
time. But now this can no longer be done, and
We must meet tho plain aud direct issue, OF pay-
ing our oxponsos as wo go.
There is but one way for a municipal corpora
tlon to pay It's dcbts and its expenses aud that a
to levy and collect q tar equal to its wants, and
to expend no mouoy on any object until tho tax
therefor IL lowed and collected
The City Collector, on Aug. a. will proceed
by sale to collect the unpaid taxos on real estate.
This tux is that levied for the municipal yoar
ending Alarch al, 1874. In the oftica OF the
Comptroller tlloro wero At tho beginning OF this
municipal year unpaid taxea Of last aud previous
yoarH, represented by certificates Of purchases
at tax-sales, amounting in round numbers to ha1f
million OF dollars. Another half million Of
dollars Ind boon improperly taken from the
Treasurv. Tho dehoienceH since 1870, and tho
unusually large ono Of tho year Of tho fro, had
boon accamulating. The city. to moot tho de-
mands for which this money WAS intended, has
had to borrow On short leans. until nov the city
cortiacatos, aud unpaid taxcs. at high rate OF
interest. At tho tax-sale next a1ondnY, and be-
fore that dato, there will be considerable revenue
collected In cash, but there Wil1 be
turned in, In Lieu Of cash. from a
half to million and q half OF doilare in tax
certificates. The appropriations for ls74.'7s hage
to bo paid out Of tue tax-lovy Of 187s'74; and as
tue appropriations -lalt million greater
than that tax-levy. there muat 10 deficiency,
eyen Il the whole levy was collected.
During those several years the Common Coun-
Gil has had full knowledge Of this alip-shod
condition Of things, aud that 1t was getting
worso; and yet not man has lad the courage
to propose to levy tax OF one or two mills an-
nuaaly to tako up this accumulation OF deioion-
clos and other odds nud ends. How much tho
"1oatlng aobt" representing theBo things
amounts to, no do not know but at tho present
rate, borrowing money at interest to pay
current expenaes 1t cannot be very long
before tl,at floating debt will equal an
ordinary annual tax-levy. That debt has to bs
paid, and 1t can only bo paid by royonuo collect
cd from taxation. shau we attack 1t now, or
shall we wait until It has become 40 large that
we will be brought to stand-still?
The city charter needs to be expurgated Of
many absurditios It moods to be harnaonlzed.
Tho municipal and political years ought to begin
at tho same dato. Each yoas's expenditures
ought to be borne out Of tho proceeds Of tho tax
loviod for that year. Thou tho appropriations
and tho tax-leyy could be kept at the aamo
amount, and we would avoid the annual telcien-
olca. But We must take up this accumulated,
unfunded do5t, and pay it. That can only be
dono by a levy for that specific purpoao.
Quo other thing IL needed. The law regulat-
ing tax-sales has boon 80 blunGored that no man
can or will purchase delinquent property. The
city, when It buys property 1t the tax-aalo,
must, In order to retain its '1ten. pay all other
taxes-state, county, and town-on that prop
erty, Tue owner Of property sold for taxea cares
very little how often It IL sold, 80 long a. tho
unpaid taxes aro not lion aud no title can DO
obtained by tho purchaser. This dofoos IN tho
law has been notorious. aod with no lesH than
twenty-eight staiwart statosmeu representing
this county In the Legislature no osameaial logis-
latou uas ever obtained. Will. tho failure Of tho
tax-salo ~ q coerove means Of collecting taxes
| the etnbarrasarnenkH of tho city muHt bocomo