New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-03-12
THE COUNCIL AND ITS FINANCIAL
CONUNDRU4,


like the Maid of Saragossa. His 'Ieader
falls, he fills the fatal post, and brings up
q new scheme to meet the pecuniary ext
gency which has fallen upon the city cred
itors. Hon. Mr.. Pilsbu-y apparently re-
CARDS this scheme as an intrusion upon
his department, and insists upon amend
ing the scheme by ''the sale or lease of
certain properties belonging to the city"
Mr.. Burke gives this proposal vicious
kick, saying that "there were certain
, properties and franchises placed in the
hands of the Administrators for the use'
benefit, health and convenience of the
residents of the community that he was
unalterably opposed to parting with
The chancellor of the exchequer then
withdrew his plan, and Mr.. Burke pro-
ceeded to present and unfold his own.
In this, however, we can perceive little
that is new. He starts out with fallacy
that requires refutation. 1t is ''that nearly
two per cent of said taxation is levied
under legislative enactments that deprive
the City Council Of all power to regulate
it's expenditure or reduce the same"
As this is corollary of the dogma that
only one-half per cent Of the taxes OF the
city 60 to the credit Of the city, we must
again treat the proposition and its alleged
results together. We can not permit the
administration to content itself with the
collection of greenbacks enough to pay
salaries and throw all. other responsible
ties upon its predecessors, even if they
have been chiefly Democratic The tax
for interest amounts to nearly a million |
and half of dollars. Can it be said that |
this interest is levied ''under legal enact
ments that deprive the City Council of |
all powers to regulate its expenditure or
reduce the same?" 1t is levied under
contract with the public creditor, and
no City Council is expected to repudiate
this contract. No one can complain
of Republican Legislature, even by
intimation, that it has either created
this debt, or that it has not empow-
cred the City Council to repudiate it.
The other items of economy repeated
in the scheme is one to regulate the
organization Of the Metropolitan Po-
lice" and to reduce the expenses to sum
not exceeding S350,OOO. With the OBJ
servation that the regulation" of the po-
lice is not an economical matter, but
question of patronage, we note the fur
Their item of reducing the expenses of the
public schools to 100000. 1t is plain
that all these appropriations are for the
benefit of the city. The cost of the police
may have been beyond a sum absolutely
necessary; but does not the city need
some police? While the small excess, il
any, may be properly reduced, does not
the appropriation, to the extent that it is
necessary, go to the benefit of the
city? Undoubtedly, as much as the
lights or water supply. The instruction (
Of children in the public schools is
! proper charge upon the taxpayers !
If the city, and certainly all
he advantages to be derived from the sys- q
;em 60 to the credit of the city. If there ,
De an excessive tax levied for the police
of life and property, the Legis- c
allure is to that extent responsible. Every
lollar collected for any other municipal =
'bject is for the benefit of the city. The v
collect and pocket the d
'reenbacks from the tax sales. They viz
ually tell the houseless taxpayer: Il
This is very hard on you, yet how can we b
elp ltf The city administration only re- | i,
elves One-fifth Of the taxes collected from =
GU; the rest is imposed by the usurpation, n
nd we can not take it Oft. IS
Let US examine. Almost every dollar n
objected from the taxpayers, except that cl
hich goes to pay the interest on the old e,
'emocratic city debt, is expended in the Of
ty and among the laborers.' Salaries pl
nd wages, rents and repairs, lumber, i'm al
lements and provisions, carts, mules, CT
novels and spades, all are paid for and e
urchased out Of these taxes, yet the to
ity Council has repeatedly asserted that nj
receives no advantage from any portion W
these taxes except the one-half per b,
mt as stated, and that o reckless Repub- nj
,an Legislature has. imposed the other 81
70 per cent and will not allow her gov
nment to take it off, They do not wish ru
take it off, Its repeal would turn several OF
inbred employesof the Internal Improve
ent Department out Of employment. wi
be pay Of the police goes to protect the va
operty and lives Of the citizens, nj
I'd this whole pay goes to the Yt
ndlords and grocers Of New Or an
ans. The expense of the public schools tai
applied in payment Of rents to our citi- de
ms, and of salaries to men and women fal
10 expend the same fund in the same tu
amer. The immense annual ex- OBJ
nditure of nearly five millions of alb
liars, less the interest on the en-
bic debt, is levied on the property pc
d business of the city and expended us.
bounties upon the labor and industry cal
the city. A portion Of it seeps back !
o the pockets Of the property interests ere
m which it has been levied, but it is a ira ira
ect and enormous bounty. 1t would wit
do tell a tinancier or political econ Col
list that this large fund was collected
m the property and industry of New thi
leans against its protest, or that it was pre-
erted from fha nroDar rco &c A. a. ! iy,e