Omaha daily bee., 1884-08-30
TALK ABOUT TAKE S.
be CITY Council Fixes The Levy, and
; Discusses The Water Taxes,
.ev. Father McMenomy Elected
Treasurer of the Public
Library,

A special meeting of the city council
was held yesterday forenoon, called fol
the purpose of making the tax levy fol
the year. Alderman James presided.
and Aldermen S%iedentopf, Geise, MUNSTER
and Heating were present. Alderman
McMahon, who is chairman of the
finance committee was expected to report
on the matter but was not present and
the council proceeded to other business.
Mrs. Wilson notified the council
through her attorney that a judgment
had been rendered in her favor for
$4,000 for city warrants held by her. Re-
ferred to the city attorney to report
whether a levy ought to be made to pay
it, as petitioned for by her. The city
attorney reported in favor of letting the
& batter take its regular course. Let the
ourt be asked for a mandamus and thea
StSthe city could make a showing. MIR.
Hight, Mrs. Wilson's attorney, objected
to this delay.
Alderman Jones said that in view of
the improvements being paid for there
must be a retrenchment for taxation
would soon become contiscation.
The city attorneys report was adopt.
ed.
Alderman MUNSTER offered a resolution
instructing the city clerk to certify up to
the county treasurer the assessments of
paving on Main street, Oakland avenue
and Bryant street, that these assess
ments might be charged up to the prop
erty. The purpose of this was to put
matters in such shape that the paving
could be collected for in one assessment,
In case the bonds were not sold. If the
bonds were sold, the resolution could
then be rescinded, and changed to five
payments, instead of one. The paving
of Broadway was not included in the
resolution, as that work has not been
done, and hence could not be assessed at
present. The resolution was adopted.
The matter of a levy was taken up.
Aid S~iedentopf presented a schedule of a
levy. There was considerable discussion
about making a limit to the territory to
be taxed for waterworks. The council
was at first inclined TO make the city
limits the limits of the territory subject
to rate tax, in other words subiecting all
property to the tax, the law providing
that the council must fix the limits be-
fore making that levy. Alderman Myns-
ter insisted on having come limits which
would exclude some outside property.
The discussion brought out the fact
that all agreed there was considerable
property inside the city limits which
would not be strictly liable to a water tax
under the law, but if the limits were
Epade one thousand feet from the nearest
ydrant, a five mills tax on the property
included would only amount to $13,
600 or 80, and that this would necessitate
issuing the balance of the 500, 600 in gen.
'eral warrants thus compelling the city at
large to pay for the balance anyway. To
avoid this it was the desire to make the
limits as extensive as possible so as 10 get
in as large a tax as could be. 1t was
suggested that although not strictly
binding on all property in the city, yet
if SO levied many would pay the email
= mount rather than make a legal contest.
>nally the fixing of the limits was re-
srred to Alderman MINISTER and Alder
IAN James, who are to confer with the
Engineer.
j Alderman Siedentopf offered a %resolu-
ton fixing a levy for 1884 as follows: