The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-14

Be 1t resolved, That the Mayor, Admins
traitor of Finance and Administrator of Ac
counts are hereby authorized and instructed
to revise the items under the head of Grim
inal Justice, Board of Health and Miscel
laneous," and confer with the parties con
cerned, reporting at the next meeting of the
Council an estimate Of the expenditures fol
said purposes from July l, 1875, to December
81, 1875.
Be it resolued, That these resolutions shall no
be held to impair the claims Of any party fol
fore is regulated by law or contract.
Major Burke said:
The $310,O75 of expenses are the expenses
that are within the ability of the Council to
regulate, and all that we have the power to
regulate we have applied retrenchment to.
Under the head of 'Criminal Justice, Board
| of Health and Miscellaneous Expenses,
come the expenses of the Superior Criminal
Court, sanitary expenses, charitable expenses,
law charges and Criminal Sheriff.
In many Of these items the entire budget
allowance has been exhausted already, and il
will be necessary to confer with the parties
interested, and determine whether we will
litigate, or whether we may amicably agree
on figures for the next six months.
They should retrench their figures the
same as the other departments have done.
[ believe that the reductions that may be
secured will reduce the expenses for Criminal
Justice, Board Of Health, and Miscellaneous,
to $50, 661 &C. In that case the total current
expenses of the city government might be
brought within 100000 for the next six
months.
The total Budget Ledger for current ex.
penses for 1876 was ST. 305 566, the half oil
which would be 1882 1888, against which we
propose expenditures for the next six months
of say 100000.
In taking the financial step proposed few
moments ago, it is necessary, in my opinion,
that there is q determination upon the part
of this Administration to apply to ourselves
the proposition of retrenchment as far as il
is possible to do so.
I believe that we may for the next six
months dispense with one-half the expense
for lighting this city. I believe that the Ad-
ministrator of Police may make the selection
of such points that will cause the least dissat-
isfaction and annoyance to the people, where
the street lights may be dispensed with par
TALLY or entirely.
We are now in a position of financial en-
barassment that demands the most rigid ap-
plication of economy, in order that the least
violence may be done to the rights that we
may encroach upon in the effort and deter
mination to maintain and discharge the
functions of this government, preserving its
good faith, as far as we may, in the protection
of its existence.
There is no revenue from the wharves. The
market notes were pledged by past admin
istrations, and through decision OF the courts,
licences are paid only in Metropolitan Police
Warrants-hence there is really no cash re-
ceived into the Treasury for 1875, except
from taxes. If all the unpaid taxes for 1875.
81, 40O,0 600, should be collected, it would yield
the general fund but $3.50, 600.
IT. however not more than one-half is paid
this year. yielding $4,000, there will remain
q deficit OF $3.50, 900 in current expenses after
you have made the proposed reductions; and
the interest creditor must plainly see that it
is but equitable that he should make some
sacrifice of his claims, as we'll as that the pub
lie should be deprived of conveniences and
protection, for which at least one half of them
have fully paid.
The resolutions were adopted.
A motion to adjourn prevailed.