, 1875-01-31
U}1e Gbmagn U1hurt.
guuday Eorn1n9, January 81. 1875.

gundar Eorn1nx, January 81. 1875.
FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE CITY.
We make no apology for again inviting
public attention to the all-important question
Of how to extiicate the city from the financial
e1pbnrrassmerts which defective laws, CON-
plicated accounts, inconsistent and inefficient
and oHcih neglect have
produced. The City Government is prohlb-
tied by law from increasing its funded debt
above what it was in 1870. Nevertheless, IN
addition to that funded debt, it is largely IN
Rucazs. It's certificates of indebtedness aro
for sale by the brokers' and bankers. We do
not plaoe the responsibility for this condition
of things on the present city officers and City
Council, except that they do not make any
serious effort whntcver to meet the legal dif-
fculties which ernbarzass the city, or to arrest
ths continuous drifting from bad to worse
which must eventually terminnte in suspen-
Icn.
Tho City Government labors under several
serious legal difficulties. The fsch yesr of
1915 Will bagin on tbs 1st Of April next
Within the succeeding ninety days the Coun-
ell will make the appropriations for the year
beginning April, 1875, and ending March 81,
1876 The assessment for 1876 will be con1-
pleted some time in September or October
next, the rate Of taxation will be declared in
November, and the taxes will commence to be
payable in December, but no Judgment for
unpaid taxes; and no sale of property can be
had before July OF August, 1876. Thus, the
entire fiscal year OF 1856, and three or four
months OF tho next year, will expire before
tho city will receive its revenue under the
te1 levy. In the meantime al the appropria-
tons mede for the year will be expended out
Of the revenue collected from the levy Of
texes for 1874 As the appropriations for
1855 will be half million Of dollars greater
THAI those for 1S74-'5, and as half million of
dpllars Of taxes Of thig year will not be col
4ected, there viii be an addition to the de-
f1isncy Of one million Of dollars. This is
on the assumption That all the real-estate
taxes are collected But the owners,
knowing the Inv to be defective, omit to poy
their real-estate taxes, then the city will hive
to purchase tax-certi6cates to the amount of,
snv, million of dollars, aud the deficit be-
tween receipts and expenditures will be two
millions This process will go on year after
:year until this deficit, represented by what is
called ttaoating debt" and bearing
high interest already, will become OF
very large proportions. Under tie mis-
e7ah1e patchwork abortion called o
city charter, the Common Council cannot
levy any tn1 to cover this deficiency. Il it
appropriate sc, 900 for specific purpose it
cnn levy such fraction Of d mill as will yield
only $50, Geo; provided it is al collected If
this levy produce only $4,000, part of which
is IN tn1-certidcates, there is no power any
where to levy another tax to make good the
$1,000 deficiency, which remains 4'doat-
ing" debt against the city. AL this is thor
ouEh1y understood by all branches of the
City Government There is not depart
znent which is not cr,.mped because of largo
deficiencies, dating back since 1869, in the
tax 1evies for its support. Yetneither Mayor,
Comptroller, Ta1-Commissioner, Collector,
City Attorney, Corporation Counsel, nor
Alderman has aoy proposition to remedy
tl.is evil, to correct this perpetual drifting to-
wmds insolvency, or to meet the present
e1;sencies of the case. They confess the
r,erils of the Gtuntion, but seem to have no
remedy to propose
The Comptroller has no means to pay the
current expenses Of the city for the year
1s74-5, save tho proceeds Of the tax levied
for the year 1873. Instead Of the cash reve-
nue. from TINT source. he reports large por-
ton Of the tu On personal property unpaid,
another portion locked up in appeals to the
Supreme Court, and tax-sale certificates to
tho AMOUNT of $. 600, 600. This may be oil
counted for the present ~ an actual dcacit,
I'd be represented BY tho comp:rouer's GER
tficatos to oroditoss-
Much Of this embarrassment il due to the
fset that tho city 1evies and collects its taxes
under Bill 800. Tint bill furnishes special
machinery, xnd provides that, IN various par
t;c,le1y, tbs machinery Of the Ganerd neve'
nrc lsu shnu be omploycd. But when the
Court VIE oallod ca to give Judgment to'
delinquent ta1ss under this attempted oomo''
nation Of two Laws, it WIS found that the two
wers 50 incnns;stant IN tbs opinion of the
Court that they con1d mot be doretailed
II rszonci,edt shd therefore Judgment va.
refused. Attn this doattiont phsties kho hsG