New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-22
CITY coUNCIL--oFFICIAL
REGULAR MEETING.

CITY HALL, NEW ORLEANS, /
Tuesday December 81, 1875.
The Council met this day at twelve
O'Clock NJ. in regular session.
Presentation. Charles j. Leeds, Mayor,
presiding, and Administrators Bertoli,
Brown, Bouny, Mccarthy, Landry and Pills.
bury.
Observation-Disclosures Burke, attending
court.
The minutes of the previous meeting
we're approved and their reading dispensed
with.
Communications from the Mayor and Adj
illustrators.
The Mayor laid before the Council the
following message, which was read, received
and ordered TO be spread upon the minutes,
and referred to the committee of the whole;
MAToRALrY OF NEW oRLKAGs, /
City Hall December 81 1875.
To the City Council of New oreans
The time having arrived when you are
to prepare the yearly budget and levy the
annual tax, submit for your consideration
the following suggestions thereon:
1t is evident to any one at all conversant
with the pecuniary condition CT this COM
munIty that tax adequate to meet the
demands of the public creditor, the require
ments of the laws in relation TO the public
schools and police and the neces, aty sup
port of the city government can not. if
levied, be collected from this impoverished
pecn!e,
The experience of the past year clearly
demonstrates thst unless taxation be re-
duced to an amount which will be within
the ability of the taxpayers to meet, the
means necessity to carry on the functions
of government can not be obtained.
The ability to pay the existing rate of
taxation has become each year less and less
indicating thereby that the amount exacted
, exceeds the net revenues of the community,
deducting the sum necessary Tor its sup
port.
A portion being thus taken each year,
from the accumulations of more prosperous
times, the capital necessary for reprOduc-
ton has been gradually curtailed, and the
revenues therefrOm diminished year BY
year. Imperative necessity, therefore, de-
mands relief for this Overtaxed and op-
pressed people.
In view OF which recommends:
First-A strict scrutiny of all items of ex-
penditure within your control, with de-
termination on your part to bring down the
expenses of every department to the lowest
possible point.
Although you have made during the past
year great reductions therein, it is to be
hoped that greater experience in the affairs
OF the city may enable you to make still
further curtailments.
There are many charges imposed upon
the city by State law, which can not be
changed except by the action of the Legis-
lature, awaiting which, relief can only be
obtained by consent of the parties inter.
ested, who may be induced to relinuuish a
nnrfinn nf uhaf ia aI1aUod Iax in
view Of prompt cash payment. Measures
should be taken to that end as well as to
bring to the attention of the Legislature
the needed reforms.
Secondly-The suspension of the tax for
the interest on the public debt, which is de-
manded as well in the interest of the
creditors as of the citizens, for, it is evident
that unless immediate relief be given from
the oppressive taxation, which is destroy
ing the value of all property, and prevent
any recuperation from our present PROSTATE
condition, the inability OF the people must
cause eventually, from utter exhaustion, a
Reputation of the debt.
Thirdly-The withholding of the taxes
for the public schools and the police until
they shall be placed under the control Of
the city authorities, so that the expendi-
lures therefor can be reduced to the point
demanded by the poverty of our people,
and their management conducted in &C.
sordance with the views OF those by whom
they are supported, and for whose benefit
they should be maintained.
Both the schools and police, although
municipal institutions ARE by existing laws
under the control of State authorities; they
arc managed with no regard to the senti-
ments or interests of the citizens who have
been taxed for their support, and can not
deem Q law constitutional which would
compel you to levy tax for them, contrary
to the we'll known wishes of your CON-
stituents.
Indeed, law which demands the levy of
such . tar seems to me not only gross
usurpation, but violative of the great Amer
lean right of local self-government.
That eminent jurist, Judge Cooley, of
Michigan, in . case involving the powers of
the Legislature over municipal corpora
"The doctrine that within any general
grant OF legislative power by the constitu-
ton there can be found authority thus to
take from the people the management of
their local concerns, and the choice, directly
or indirectly, of thsir local officers, if prac-
tically asserted, will be somewhat startling
to eur people, and would be likely to lead
to Q more careful scrutiny of the charters
q government framed by them, lest some
times, BY an inadvertent use Of words, they
solne agency Of their own the legal authority
= taks away their liberties altogether"
Again be Gays: "The State may mould
leoel oscillations according to it, views Of
ysltey or sxpediency, but local government
= netteR Of absolute right and the State
- ~ take II away. 1t would be the
esadest nsoksey 70 speak Of . city - pes
oessing nunieipal hbsrty whore Tie SLATE
nst enly shsRe4 its govefnnent, bat = dis-