The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-03
TIE LAW AND THE BUDGET.

D
| oept the best terms offered rs by the shelby
| delegation. The Commissioners made no com:
/ promise, but lnbOrcd earnestly day and
night for our budget until It was laid not ON, but
under the mble The impression seems TO have
gone out that the budget which passed the Senate
toby Is n compromise measure. That Is n mistake
/ The Commissioners were simply forced 10 choose
between g. aud sl3i, aud took the latter II Is the
| delegations budget not ours, aud We accepted IL
because we saw that we could do no better and II
there l. any compromise In the cnsc II Is thelr-
icrri nc rih comm issiJHCr Pciid u The Itdldnche
gy@ody.
Commissioner Pettit here scoms to make
q great virtue OF the compromise President
lladlcn made with the citizens commit
tee. Let MS see what the law is in the
case. The act creating the Taxing Dis
trici Of Memphis says;
section % H. II further enacted That Il shall DO
the duty Of the board Of Fire and Police Commits
siuupr, by aud with The advice and consent Of the
| chief of Police, the President Of the Board Of
Health and the supervisors OF the Board Of Public
Works at least twenty days preceding the meeting
81 each General Assembly, To report to that body
act, on property and privileges within the Taxing
District for the two succeeding years, which In
their opinion should be- imposed for the use Of The
government Of the Taxing District
Now, that's the cold, specific law. 1t is
mandatory in lis terms. There is no loop
hole in ii. There is no Misunderstanding
it, II is as plain rs u pikcstair ard as clear
~ crystal. TuE ArrgAL now asserts, in
view OF the provisions of this law, that
either the 500 budget is the only bud
get now before the Legislature, or
there is no budget before that
body. We printed in our issue Of
Friday tho bill which had been
"agrccd upon by the representatives"
Of the citizens association, by the "rcprc-
sentatiycs" Of the Taxing District (Mcssrs
MADDEN and Pe,tit) and by the "rcpre-
sentative" Of the School Board County At
torncy Jordan). The title Of the bill
agreed upon" reads
An net ~ lcyy aud collect taxes for The Taxing
pistrid Of shelby County. Tenn. for the two ycnn
is,J aud lsnl"
To this bill Is attached the following:
We the undersigned. representing the Memphis
citizens Association. of Memphis hereby approve
thc attached bin. uni ask our Representatives to
have the same enacted into law.
JonS oynuoN. Jr.,
~ GALLOWAY,
T. A. TumEY,
iiu T. nntsKLrY.
We tho undersigned. representing the Taxing
District Government hereby approve the attached
hill aud asl our Representatives w enact the same
Into law. =. llApnEs,
1T Pruu.
Tho undersigned. rrpfcscntlng the Memphis
C.U school hulri. hrrrby approve tho attached
bill aud al our Representative, 10 cnaci The same
Into o. law A. y. Jprn,N.
II will be observed that the title oi the
bill takes no account Of the existence Of
the formal budget required 10y the law 20
be rcpoucdb by the Commissioners twenty
days preceding the meeting Of the Gen.
oril Assembly" Il does not read. can
acttoamcnd the budget Therefore. the
Legislature cannot entertain this bill Il the
regular budget that authorized by "the
Board OF Fire and Police Commissioners.
by and with the consent Of the Chief Of
Police, the President Of the Board IT
Health aud the Supervisors Of Public
works"-has notbccn submitted. lit has
not been, then them Is nothing upon
which the Legislature can act hut IL
may be said that thc 500 budget was
formally reported acc5rliug,o the require.
monis Of the law aud that II IL an easy
matter 10 make the bin agreed upon by
the representative amcndalofy. let
"a. scc about that and lc, Us ask a question
OF two
/ l. Chief Davis oil YOU. ~ the STATUTE
requires, give your consent to the SO
budget Il 80, when did you agree {,
abandon ~
. Dr. Thornton DID you. as the siatut,
requires, give your consent 10 the 500
buiget2 II W, when did you agree {,
abandon 10
g. Mr. McHvcthcr Did you. a. N,
statute requires, give your consent 10 Ia,
sea budget II 20, when did you agrc,
30 abandon ~
g. Mcvu- lee, Graham. Ilinch. Rnndlc
Hncy aud walIac, Did you. o.. the stat
ute requires, give your consent to IN,
500 buigct7 liso, when did you agree {,
abandon ~
| While awaiting tho answer to these
/ questions We have TO ash Mcsr. IladIcn
Petit and Jorlon d question Or two.
l. From What source did YOU acquip
your right to agree 10 q reduced budrrig
.. Was formal meeting Of the Board o
Fire aud Police Commissioner, the Chic
Of Police, the President OF tho Board O
Health, and the Supervisors Of Publ,
Works called Tor the purpose Of rccousid