The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-03
ZEE CITY CoUNcIL cRIrICIsED.
The Question of Taxation Reviewed
Quite extensively


The election of the present mayor and
,,darrnen was supposed TO be a reform
.,oveuent. and VIC expected of them that
,hev would not spend more than the in
o,noe and SO husband the resources of the
/ r.. that at some future time we might
- for a reduction of taxes. Their recent
iUj15icious actions show, however, that we
/ re beea wofully deceived-and we find
.ba present mayor and aldermen, instead
~ being conservative, are the most
rsdical body of men we have had in
.,oUer during the entire history of the city
/ if;nca its settlement by Enthusiastically
in three instances; first, the ground
ant question; second, the sewer
| ordinance, requiring houses $50 feet from
/ ssTer to connect, and allowing houses Isl
taa- To 90 free; third, levyinga specific tax of
/ a. 30 upon each house not paying water
rates. The last is the item that pinches
rour writer most heavily, and as it is a
matter of public interest desire the use of
| ~our paper to say a few words. / inquired
3rom the chairman of the finance committee
,rbv this ordinance was passed. For wears
tbe question had been mooted of making a
snecial tax for water, independent
If the rate paid by those that take
-atar in their houses. This at one time
saemed absolutely necessary, as for twenty
| Years after the building of the water works
. i did not pay its running expenses and the
interest on the bonds. The whole amount
naid for the construction of works, pipes.
stc since 1854, when the water works was
started, is not more than $500OOO. The
works now yield $50, 900 income, and is
daily il creasing this income. The bonded
interest on 100000 is $25, 600; this leaves
S25 900 to pay running expenses and extend
| The water mains reasonable amount
avery year. And 1 do not know
ANYTHING that pays the city better
than extending the water pipes. The city
has extended recently about 400 feet of pipe.
costing about $500. which will yield from
nv property alone revenue of $3.50 per
annum. Besides, number of additional
houses will take water. This taxis unjust,
for the reason that it is not an ad val0rem
tax. a tax upon the market value of the
nroperty, but a specific tax upon each house
regardless of its value. A house paving
s. per month, worth 5000, has to pay over
per cent. on its value. A house worth
$500 pays a per cent. A house worth 81. 600
rays only 1-l6 per cent. upon its value.
This tax is not uniform, and is manifestly
oppressive and unjust. The only
reason assigned for levying this
tax is, that persons signing a
petition for extension of water pipes
do not always take the water Well! If
they have signed a contract, the city
should make them comply with their agree
ment, and not make the people that do COM
ply suffer for the delinquents. The other
reason assigned is that other cities enforce
this tax. | wish the gentlemen would look
through my glasses for a moment They
would find plenty of cities where the taxes
levied are one-half of what they are in this
city Why not select city to model from
where the taxes are light? Their constit-
uents would have much more favorable
opinion of their services if they would
Now, four-inch pipe costs about forty cents
per foot when laid. To lay the pipe
in front of house twenty feet front
would cost SIS. -Four years. tax
at 81 so house would be $40. The pipe
will then be paid for But they propose to
make this perpetual tax. This is an out
rage. The writer of this has large num-
Der Of houses on streets where there are no
mains, the water pipes being laid long
distance at my expense. Will the city give
me any credit on this? The levying of this
Tux will add $3.50 per aunum to my taxes.
or heavy outlay to put water fixtures and
heavy repair bills, and about $500 add
tonal water rent to pay, which will make
my water rent. with what now pay, about
Sl,3OO per annum. The council appear to
think all we have to do is to add the water
rent on to the rent of the
house. Does he know that many
Of the laborers are getting only
80 cents per day for their work, and that
only about two days in the week they are
able to get work large part of the year.
and that it is with great difficulty land
lord can collect fair percentage of what he
now asks; some house agents estimate the
losses at 90 per cent. of the rentals, If
councilmen do not know these facts, before
acting upon such important matters, they
ought to inform themselves. l asked the
chairman of the finance committee what
was to be done with this money. The
water mains are totally insufficient for
proper fire protection. When the cotton
factory burned, for one hour the branch
pipe was pointed at my houses, and not a
crop OF water came from it, nor was one
drop of water put on these houses before
they were nearly burned to the ground.
me mains, only being 4-inch, were
inadequate to give supply to
more than one engine. The fire protection
mat We are called upon to pay for does not
protect Who is to reimburse me for the
sl,2OO lost because the water. mains would
tot supply water to put on my houses?
Inc finch pipes that we are called on to
pay So 80 house for are nothing but
ueiuSlon and snare, and it is fraud to
make u us pay for protection we do not get.
AiOuoy was s0b dSlClS W Improve GQ6
mans, put 12-inch pipe ont West Broad
S 81 to Anderson street, l2-inch pipe out
East Broad or Price street to Anderson
street, an S-inch pipe on Orange street, and
ollch pipe on Harrison street to Farm
street., 6-inch pipe on all the streets south
VI uaston street that have no pipes-even
UdS1on street has no main west of TattnalI
81 might then think there was some iusti-
icatlon for laying this tax. AS it is, | can
s S no right or reason for adding new bur-
ueiis 70 an already over-taxed people. More
'er' this tax is unconstitutional Article
y s saon <, of the constitution of Georgia
VI Io'l says: "All taxation shall be uniform
upon the same class of subjects" and that
oil 40 valorem shall be levied upon all
Sioperty subject to taxation. Is the city of
savannah greater than the state of Geor-
sla, mat she can do what the constitution
.oroias the state to do? This section of the
" HBS1itut1on, copied from the constitution
". l lesnnsylvania, was inserted in the con-
atuiion by Mr.. j. M. Guerard, then "A
,;e ellper or the constitutional conven-
cS on OF 1877, and was put there to
THoViate the difficulty made by
na,. ,Warlng, he having refused to
s uy MS taxes because personal property
cIa los not taxed the same as real estate. This
sstos is TO be construed as follows: All real
oS.ase must be taxed uniform rate; all dry
e soJus must be taxed uniform rate; all
rata Ut capita al must be taxed uniform
cI"s: Inc rate can be different upon each
en- ''o VI subjects, say one-third of per cent.
ca.t caSn, per cent. on real estate, l per