The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-10
Unpaid City Taxes.

The newly installed city officials have 0
most difficult task before them that is, to con
duct the affairs of the city without money in
the treasury or municipal credit on which tc
borrow it. Long years of tyrannical and cor
Vupt Legislative interference on the part Of the
State have borne their legitimate fruits in
bankruptcy and ruin. And what is still
worse, the same causes which have brought
bankruptcy and ruin to the city, have brought
poverty and distress to the citizens.
The question Of most importance is, in
what way the daily expenses of the city can
be met to the best interest of the city, present
Or future, with the least possible distress to
the citizens? As there is no money in the
Treasury it must be had. either by borrowing
Or by collecting the taxes already due. Else
the business OF the city must be conducted, as
1t has been done for years past on credit.
The latter method has been tried too long
against reason and common sense. Every
day it was continued the credit Of the city
grew weaker and weaker. for the simple
reason that debts of the city grew greater and
greater. The present Council have wisely
determined to conduct the affairs of the city
on cash basis 1t is the only way in which
the constantly growing indebtedness Of the
CITY can be stopped and its credit strengthened
and re-established. Let them determine to
buy nothing, either of material or labor and
service, that they cannot pay for at once. or
at the end of every week and month. and then
there will begin to be some hope for the
future.
The debts Of the city at least will not be in
creased, except by accruing interest. True,
this will necessitate the non-payment of the
present Indebtedness Of the city OF every de-
scription, bonded or otherwise. until such
time as its cash receipts shall exceed its cur
rent expenses. But this procedure, in the
end, will inure to the benefit of all parties.
The creditors OF the city, under the past man.
lagement of its affairs and its constantly in
,creasing Indebtedness, could not reasonably
hope for full payment Of the principal of their
claims. let alone the interest. The city
authorities trust. will seize the earliest op-
portunity, after ascertaining the honest debts
of the city, to hold consultation with its
creditors in regard to the manner and time of
the settlement of their claims, and the interest
that shall hereafter be paid on them. It is
believed that they will see the necessity of re-
aducing the rate of interest to be paid in the
future to not more than three or four per cent
per annum. And surely those who hold the
bonds that have been issued by the city in the
Last ten or twelve years can well afford to do
SO, when the rate of discount at which they
purchased is considered.
The employees of the city will be benefited
py payment IN cash, even ii the nominal
amount of their compensation shall be re-
educed one-third Who will say that the
police. school teachers and all others in the
employ OF the city for the last two wears.
would not have been better paid at the rate
of two-thirds nominal wages in cash, than
the full amount i'll warrants As all employ
f-nents are poorly paid at present. in both
city and State. and the results of business of
all kinds poor and meagre, it is tit and pro-
per that the rate of compensation awarded
by the city for services should be in keeping
with the condition OF affairs throughout the
community generally. 1t is believed that
The present authorities are fully alive to
these matters, and it is hoped that their zeal
win not cool as they grow older in their
seats: that each one will feel himself respon-
sible not only for the good management of
his own department, but will look for the
general result in the good management Of
each ana every IF the other departments.
Too little OF this spirit has heretofore pre-
vailed under the department system. Each
one has seemed 10 say to his associates, IT you
will let me alone l will let you alone let
me do as | please and you shall do as you
please" As a consequence much liberty was
often times taken, and serious abuses fol-
lowed. 1t has been said that the late Council