The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-01
alyzed. and all classes are sinking under the

rent expenses for the support OF the govern
ment are more than the people can pay ant
taxation now amounts to actual confscatlon 0
the property of the citizens Public expecta
ton demands at our hands immediate relief
and the necessities of the people require tn
reduction Of the public burden. Taxation
must be brought down to the lowest possible
rate to bring back our former prosperity ane
save the city from impending ruin. an
aware that under existing laws, which have IL
great measure taken away from thu
; Council the control Of affairs OF thu
city, it will be difficult, if no
impossible, to bring about sucl
a reduction OF taxation as VIII give the needed
relief to the public. 1t will be our duty t.
apply to the Legislature tor the passage O
J such laws as the nature Of the ease demands.
The park tax should be abolished; the school
tax should be taken off, or the management Of
the public schools RENTED to the city, with
control over the expenditures; the police
should be placed in charge of the city gov
eminent, and the printing, drainage and cour!
expenses should be regulated by the Council.
In fact, all laws compelling the expenditure
of money by the city without the consent of
its officials, should be repealed.
Trusting'that the Legislature whichiS soon to
meet viii give US the required relief, advise
that, in the meantime, no unjust or inexpedi-
ent tax be levied upon our constituents.
The interest on the public debt is now SO
heavy that a tax sufficient to pay it and the
current expenses of the city government (even
if reduced to the lowest possible point), to-
gether with the present State tax, cannot be
collected without ruin to the citizens and the
consequent destruction of the prosperity of the
city, as these taxes will, in my opinion, exceed
the amount of net revenue ofthe property taxed
! If tax is laid which exceeds The revenue of
| Of 1oir al bo
taken to make up the deficiency. This will
diminish production and decrease the value OF
property. Capital, always timid, will be with
drawn to seek investment elsewhere, and pop
| ulation will be driven away until nothing is
left to the impoverished property owner and
| the public creditor but empty stores and
warehouses and deserted dwellings.
1t is evident that, having progressed far on
! the road to ruin, it is equally the interest Of
the citizen and the public creditor to devise
some equitable mode by which the public
burden may be Hghtened. l most earnestly
commend this matter to your careful atten-
ton.
While thus compelled by the necessities of
our people to ask relief at the hands OF the
public creditor, it becomes us to inaugurate
system OF strict economy III every department.
Every unnecessary office should be abolished,
salaries reduced to the lowest point ompatibie
with efficient service, and all purchases made
at the lowest possible rates. With this view,
| advise the reorganization Of all the depart
ments, SO as to bring down the expenditures.
All work not Of immediate necessity should be
discontinued entirely, or suspended until the
city is in a condition to pay for it. In order,
however, to make any material reduction in
salaries, or COS: OF purchases for the city, a
return to cash payments vii! be necessary,
and our utmost eXertion5 should be immedi-
ately directed to that end.
As regards the collection of the back taxes,
l advise wise discretion. While there may
be many who are able to pay these taxes, yet
there are by far a greater member who have
not done so from inability. II taxation had
been just and equitable, if it had been mol
crate levy upon a fair assessment, a prompt
payment should be demanded at all costs; but
the tax, as is well known, is SO excessive as to
amount in many cases to absolute confscation;
and it is therefore no more than just to ex-
tend such Indulgence as the public interest
will justify, when inability to pay exists.
Assessments of property should be made at |
its actual cash value at the time of assessment |
The measure of value should be what it can |
be sold for, and not what it may have cost. |
Care should be taken to assess all property at |
the same relative value as nearly as possible. |
There should be but one board of assessors
Tor city and State. Much expense will be
saved and greater uniformity obtained there |
by. Legislation will be required to attain
this end
As regards licenses l would advise the
of this tax upon all occupations
OF a useful nature as soon as, in your judg-
ment the public exigencies will permit
change OF the revenue system hitherto exist
ing.
/ submit to your consideration whether it
will not be to the interest OF the city to lease
or sell the wharves and waterworks (under
proper restrictions), limiting the wharf dues
and water rates, and providing for the extern
sion of the water supply to those portions OF
the city not now supplied.
There are now six recorders and their courts,
involving heavy expenditure. This number
might, without detriment to the public inte-
rest, be reduced to two or three courts, and
the necessary legislation should be invoked to
effect this object.
Two fun ,tions are imposed on you by the
city Observation-Disclosures and Legislative.
There is tendency Of the former to absorb
the latter duty, SO as practically to make each
iii his own department, indie
pendent OF the control Of his colleagues This
should be guarded against. Each one should
feel himself in Il degree responsible for the
proper administration of the affairs OF all,
iuu lue SOuuCii us u DOuJ pass upon ,
all matters OF importance, especially of ex-
renditures, as if the administrative duties
we're performed by those who were not MEM
oers OF the Council All matters of admins
ration should be taken up and debated in
,pen Council, and secret meetings in commit
ZEE of the whole avoided Our constituents =,
,ave a right to know the reasons which have
determined their representatives in their leg
station. ,
call your attention to a sale to be made in
few days, which will dispose OF the right of
he city to the batture and future accretions.
/ will be well to ascertain at once what are :
he interests Of the city in this mater, as inn
Mediate action will be required, if you deem !
advisable to preserve this right. ;
Fully relying upon the good will and hearty +
Import of our constituents, let us enter upon +
he work before us with a determination to !
vercome the difficulties Of the situation,
the fact that, though we may be I
nable to bring the required relief to our
krr ,aI nit ha 10