Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-30
A BIG CUT IN CITY TAXES.
THE RATE TO BE AT LEAST %
II R CENT. LESS THAN IN 1884.

The Council Considers the Tax Ordi-
nance in Committee Last Night-What
is Thought of the Financial Outlook
Less Money Needed to Run the City
What is shown by the Assessors Re-
port.
The Board of Aldermen will, at their
meeting tomorrow night, make an accept
able New Years present to the people of
Savannah in the way Of lower
taxation. The meeting will be
the last meeting of the board for
the present year. The tax ordinance
must be passed, and, being enacted to-
morrow night, goes into effect Thursday
morning, Jan. l, 1885. A meeting OF
Council as committee of the whole was
held last niyllt for the consideration OF
the ordinance. 1t is very hard work TO
complete the bill satisfactorily, and, if the
difficulties make it necessary, meeting
will he held during the day between now
and Wednesday. A curious and unlm-
Dortant typographical error in the adj
vertisement OF the Council proceedings,
at which the tax ordinance was put upon
its first reading, in Yesterdays NEWS,
caused much premature delight among
unthinking property owners whose eye 1t
CHANGED to catch. The blank left to be
filed at tomorrow nights meeting, with
the rate Of taxation on real estate had
somehow been filed with the figure a."
making it appear that the tax rate would
be one per cent. Many people read moth
ing else, and jumped at the conclusion
that the rate would be as the types made
It appear, not knowing that the ordinance
has not even been acted upon, and that no
figures have been even considered in open
Council.
AMUCH LOWER TAX RATE.
But while the tax rate will be higher
than l per cent, it will be considerably
lower than it has been during the present
year. The present rate Is . per cent,
with rebate of 10 per cent. on all taxes
| paid promptly. The probability is that
| the rate for 1885 will be ~ per cent,
although some of the Aldermen think 1t
| NAV be put lower than that. The MAORI
| " seem to be of the opinion that 1t cannot
with safetVkbe reduced below ~ per cent.
AIdermSN d. r. Thomas, one of the
members dJf the Finance Committee.
has been closely engaged in fgur-
I ing out the question, and laid before the
PCOuncil at its meeting last night full
D Statement of the situation. He has put
| the rate at % per cent, but Alderman
| Hamilton. the Chairman of the commit
/ tee. thinks that it may possibly be
| squeezed down to 3 per cent. Mr.. Thomas
| stated 10 a NEWS reporter yesterday that
/ while no definite conclusion had been
/ reached as to the exact total amount TO be
| raised. the probability was that the budget
| for 1885 would be about S506,650. 1t might
| be that this would be increased $4,000.
| The total amount of the budget this year
was 1886. 600. and the difference between
/ the amount for 1884 and 1885, If the estl-
mate about agreed upon is adopted, is,
| therefore, SS9, $50 in favor of the coming
year. The decrease in the amount is due
/ to the fact that there have been
this year number OF eXtraor9il,
nary items of expenses which will
not occur again. These include
| $4,000 for improvements to the water
/ works. SIS, 600 for opening streets in YAM
| acraw, and So, 600 to pay a judgment in
/ favor of Eugene Kelly Il Co., on the tOat-
| ing debt. There are also other items
| greater this year than ever before, and
which will occur again. Among these
NAV be mentioned the sinking fund. Last
year it cost $4,000, this year $4,000. 1t
| will cost that for the next nine years, and
/ then the amount will be increased to $780,
/ 900.
SOME FEATURES OF THE REDUCTION.
may be stated that the city now has
no floating debt, and the bonded debt is
is 3.S15.OOO. The assessment for 1894 was
/ So. GOO, and the receipts from all
| quarters have been S611, 900. The assessors
/ have not vet submitted their report for
/ this year, but it is about completed. This
| assessment is 4 general one for the assess
/ ment of property not heretofore as
| sessed, such as new buildings, etc.
| This report will be interesting
/ as showing the increase in the
| assessable value of the city. The total
| amount is S13.1O0,O0O, and shows an in
| crease of $3.50, 600 in value of property IN
! Savannah during 1884. On these figures
| the ordinance will be based. Without
| having positively decided upon the exact
/ figures. it is proposed by the Board of
/ Aldermen that the tax on real estate Will
| he fully One-quarter less than 1894, and
/ the tax on business will average one
1 quarter less. Whether it Will be taken of
/ in peTcentage-in other words, by gen.
| eral cut-Or by judiciOus selection is still
| question. The latter plan will probably
be adopted, in Mr.. Thomas opinion.
Some branches of trade, he thinks, are
/ low enough now, while others are cOnsid-
/ erably higher than they should be. What
/ ever the rate of real estate taxation is 1t
/ Will be subject to the usual rebate for
| prompt payment. This plan has worked
so well that it will probably be extended
so as to apply to specific taxes also.
| The Aldermen remained in session last
/ night until after midnight discussing the
/ ordinance. What action was taken was
| kept secret as is usual with meetings of
1 this kind