Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-22
A CITIZENS MEETING.
ONE THAT DIDN'T SEND A COMMIT
TEE TO THE TRUSTEES.
The Meeting Called to Protest Against the
Tax Levy of the Trustees, Fails
to Make the Protest.

A meeting of citizens was held at the Pa
vilion last evening to consider the city tax
levy question. 1t was large and fully repre-
sentative-far more so than any that has
been held in so pubic way in long time.
About 4S0 men were in the hall. all well
known and nineteen-twentieths taxpayers,
from considerable to large amounts.
T. J. cLuNIE
Called to order He stated that some time
ago a meeting was held at Pioneer Hall and
the question of taxation considered A few
months ago the Trustees and some citizens
arranged with the bondholders to increase
the tax levy this year. Since then events
have transpired that lead many to think
the taxes should not now be increased. With
that view committee waited on the Trus-
tees to ask them not to make the levy, and
it was agreed it would not be if satisfac-
tory arrangement could be made with the
bondholders. A committee called on the
representatives of the bondholders in San
Francisco and represented the condition of
the valley and city, and he was informed the
committee had q promise from the agents
satisfactory to them. This was communi-
Gated to the Trustees-that the levy would
not be made this year. Nevertheless, the
Trustees raised the levy from fl cents to 100
cents A large revenue is now to come In
from water works that may be used for bond
purposes This meeting was called to ask
the Trustees to rescind the levy, as it will
raise the price of bonds and increase the bur
dens of the city.
Mike Bryte nominated n. l.. Drew fro
Chairman, and he was elected unanimously.
= Mr.. Drew took the chair and called on e.
X. Alsip to act as Secretary, and the call was
ratified by vote. Mr.. Alsip read the pro-
ceedings of the Pioneer Hall meeting by
which it appeared that a resolution was
passed there that no further taxes for bond
purposes be raised than was raised last year,
and that the total levy should not be in
creased.
The Chair called on Judge Mesick to adj
dress the meeting.
JUDGE W. 5. MEsICK.
Mr.. Mesick said at the Pioneer Hall meet
ing committee was named to request the
Trustees to conform to the resolution. An
other committee was named to see if it was
feasible to refund the debt. He and Mr..
Carroll met the Trustees and they said they
were willing to comply with the resolutions
if enough of the parties interested would
agree to the plan, and release the Trustees
from a prior agreement to make q certain
levy. He did not understand the Trustees to
say if the agreement could not be made that
they would disregard the resolutions. MIR.
Carroll, J. III. McKune and Mayor Turner
met the bondholders agent in San Francisco.
What took place Judge McKune would state.
AS to the tax, the speaker said while many
were looking after the interests of the bond
holders, it didn't seem many were looking
after the interests of the city. For one, he
said the tax of So per cent. of per cent.
cannot be enforced against the city, save un-
der contract made by the Trustees, without
authority, with the bondholders. The law of
1858 provided for levy of 100 cents on each
800, 50 per cent. of it to go to the bond
holders, for interest and sinking fund and
bond redemption. In addition, also, 80 cents
of the fines, halbor dues and water rents.
This was an Act uniting county and city.
The Board then in authority had power only
to levy taxes for city and county purposes,
and in addition they must levy on all prop
erty not exempt 100 cents on tie 500. When
they levied the tax that year they complied
with the law, and there is no word requiring
them to levy it each year thereafter. The
words annual levy" do not occur once.
IN THIS THERE WAS REASON;
They didn't intend to say, nothwithstand-
ing you may have fire and food, you shall
still levy the tax and sacrifice yourselves and
the security, too" Suppose the city had
never levied more than 81, and always every
year have given So per cent. to the bond
holders, why more taxes would have been
paid by the people than all the property is
worth and no grades have been raised, but
all be down in the mud, and the bonds not
worth two cents on the dollar Instead, we
10 ,,o,a IN apd huilt straafS and Iavaas
making good the security of the bondholders.
The law makers saw such contingencies
might arise, and provided no action should be
brought az ainst the city for or on account of
such Indebtedness, nor should any of its
property be liable to attachment process or
sale, either meSne or final. Laws in
tending annual levies SO state. He read
from an Act applying to Humboldt county
in illustration to show that, also other Acts of
levy shall be yearly, or each year, or annu-
ally, ETC., until the debt be paid. So if We
are TO be confined to the law let the specific
words of the law apply. In 1868 charter
was granted the city, and the union between
city and county dissolved. In that there
is permissive clause as to per cent, leaving
it to the discretion of the Trustees to levy
such tax as they deem fit. They could not
exceed 81, but it was not mandatory to levy
it. They say bonds have been issued since
then, but as to those there is no mandatory
provision.
IN THAT LAW
They provided again that suits should be
maintained on any contract that had arisen
prior to the charter, and also provided that
the goods of the city should not be seized
this, because of the repeal of the
Act of 1858, which was mandatory Act.
In the law of 1858 80 per cent. of water rents
had to be set aside. but in the Act of 1868 it
reads 50 per cent. of met" proceeds of
water rents: so the terms were changed
Under the agreement between the Trustees
and bondholders, he understood they gave 45
per cent. of the gross proceeds. There was
no law for that. He felt deep interest in
all this matter. His interest had nothing to
do with politics or cliques. He was against
everybody not for the city. He opposed the
extraordinary levy ithis year because he saw
the distress about him, and that the people
must spend their means for protection. This
place is entitled to be city, not mere stop
ping-place on the railroad. This year she
has got to provide literally for her levees,
the public health and her drainage. She
must have a country about her; at least, be-
yond peradventure, she must take care of
her levees and sewage. else she will be
stricken with pestilence and go back to the
four OF five millions, and lose all she has
gained in eighteen hard years. He'd take
the money proposed to be given to the bond
holders and
BUILD LEvEES
And improve drainage it is in the interest
of the people and of the bondholders too
When debtor goes squarely up to his cred
itor and shows his inability, the creditor is
nearly always lenient; it is to his interest to
be so. He believed the city had right to do
this and he believed the bondholders couldn't
afford to refuse the plea they couldn't afford
to press the city now. 1t is not dishonest, it
is not reputation to tell the truth to the
creditor and say we can't pay now. We
want to use our money to restore your Sc
curity. If some one hadn't meddled he
didn't believe the bondholders would have
caused any trouble at ALL All the funds
have been starved this year to keep the levy
down to cents. 1t is no excuse to say the
levy is not greater than last year, for we want
all the money to save ourselves now, this day
and hour. The Trustees have power to re-
scind the levy 1t is the wish and will of the
people, They are the servants of the people
and not their masters, neither they nor the
Funded Debt Commissioners We say this
because if the bear comes out of the woods,
we are threatened with, we are the ones who
have to- meet him and be eaten. and not they.
Mr.. Mesick concluded with feeling perors-
ton.
The Chair-Judge McKune will now -
J. r. Watson-Mr. Chairman, this meet
ing seems to be conducted on one side. Let
lao~ axfS IN, fou Of he ax-xr