Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1878-01-04

and interested survey of Los An
gslss municipal matters, we have
satisfied ourselves that two things
are very much needed here. The
first is the funding Of the city debt.
Al = matter of fact, people don't
like to live in place where the
taxes even seem to be oppressively
high. BY some providential dis
pensation, the debt Of the city of
Los Angeles is not high when we
consider the fact that her water
system should be, and can be made
to be, the means of q very consid-
cradle municipal revenue. But,
owing to the slipshod methods of
our municipal finances, several
considerable items of our city debt
fall due at one time, in lump sums.
The leviss needed to pay these ma
turing debts have very ugly look
to stranger. They swell the rate
Of tax imposition out of all proper
ton to what it would be in a city
whose finances were adjusted on
the modern plan. In fact, the large
levy Of the current year has bad
effect on the city's credit. Nine
men out Of ten do not stop to find
out that this large rate OF taxation
simply arises fir ON a makcshift
system Of finance, and their opin-
ions are governed by their imper-
feet Information. II the city debt
Of Los Angeles were funded at
moderate rate Of interest our taxes
would be low, and this misconcep-
ton would be avoided-a double
blessing.
Next to the funding of the city
debt, we need system Of account
ability and exactness in the man
agement of the city accounts.
Mayor Beaudry, in one of
his messages to the Council,
recommended the creation of
the Office of City Auditor.
We need such an official, or, at
least, we need city book-keeper.
No ordinary grocer could prosper
In business IL his affairs were con-
Quoted In the same way as those of
the city of Los Angeles. No man
to-day can find, under its proper
head, the expenditures for the year
of any department Of the city gov
eminent. If he wishes to ascer-
tain how much has been expended
In the street or police departments
for the current, or, indeed, any
year, he has no recourse for it but
to search YEARLY through the stubs
of the Warrant Book, and he is
very lucky if the stubs are there
to be searched. Few men have
the nerve to undertake labors of
this kind. 1t is the price, however,
of the slightest Ineligible under
standing of how the city stands
IF we cannot have an auditor, 1t
might, at least, be worth our
while to pay the City Clerk trifle
for opening ledger account with
the different partmsnts of the
city government. Then, by the
aid of an index, any person inter-
ested in the status of our munich
pal affairs could inform himself as
to our exact condition. The May
or, in preparing his messages,
would have easily accessible and
exact data to incorporate into
those documents.
We merely throw out these sug-
gsstions. We do lot know how
our sapient Common Council will |
receive them. By funding the city |
debt we should again rejoice in a
small annual tax levy. Possibly
our suggestion of City Book
keeper will be opposed on the
ground of economy. If so, it will
be fine illustration of penny
wise and pound foolish" Let
us be extravagant, if we will;
but, by all means, let us know
how we stand. A city is in a lam
entable state when an inquirer can
ask one who ought to know how
such and such department. stands.
ansd--he answssfed, in good faith,
that the official don't know. Yet
that is precisely how matters mu.
nicipal are now.