The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-14
MAY BE FIFTY PER CENT.
THE CoUNTY's POWERS TO ASSESS
TAXaS.

AAhLICIS L2EGOSScQ dk lLAb Yin III
sioners' February Meeting.
The February meeting Of the board Of
county commissioners was held yes erday
aud was lengthy one. A treat deal OF
work was done. Commissions s Walker,
Lawton Estill aud Read were present.
Tie monthly reports were received, but
were not of unusual int est, beng detailed
state .ncnls Of the routine work OF the diff
ferent departments Several applications for
county ali were received, and were re-
ferred to II e appropriate comm tees.
Tie resolution OF tie city council regard
ing Ii g extension Of Bay street Westward,
was read, as was also petition from clu-
zen, in favor of tie extension. The matter
was canvass d by tac commlssi ers, and
the fol owing resolutions by Col Est.u were
adopted;
Resoluei, That In the matter Of opening a
road on the line u Bay street extended to its
intersection with the Augusta road, the com
mittee on roads and br dges be authorized to
have the projected road through the lands OF
the estate of Brown and Mrs Snyder surveyed
and condemned and report the result If said
condemnation 10 this board Tor its further &C
ton
10 survey the proposed river roal from IT'S in
tersecg lou with the proposed Bay street road
extended TO an intersection with he Augusta
road near the sevcn-u> post, AID report 10 this
board at its next monthly meet :.
THE ENGINEERS REPORT.
The county eng neer's report was read
and received. The lgineer reported tina;
Schuman's gang is working on the D r nne
canal, aid Aliens gang has returned 70 the
ditchng west OF the CITY. An estimate was
received as Information rs to the cost OF n
cypress bridge with brick a,u nelts n the
Waters road near the DeRenne canal.
The eugineet haad d in a special report
with reference t. the proposed road through
Co. VIM. Gararrd's place, D. connect tns
BUckhalter road with he OgeeChee road
The engineer estimates thai 1t " il req ire
fifty men eightl-fve days TO complote the
work, which, Averaging tie cost at when
hired labor would be pad, re timat S
at 81, o and 500 10 Sl2j for bridging.
The report was referred.
R. a. BlAndfo d, civil engineer, presented
q report showing the nro }res5 Of the work
on the county map. Hs says that pri vary
lines have been extended over ab ut twenty
five square miles and be is now verifying
the triangulation nd taxing tie topograph-
ical details over the area. An accident T.
the instrument by fail has delayed work,
as the instrument had to be sent to the
manufacturer for repairs
Justices Endres and NcDermott were
authorized to hold their court for III frs.
district at No. 2l2 Bryan street, instead Of
at No 9 West B -oai stree
A petition from the citizens OF P01er for
the use Of t 6 chaln-gany Tor jraIuaye par
poses in that section was referred 10 the
committee on chain-gang.
A petition from St. JoseDh's and the
Georgia !nfrmarie, 70 an increase Of their
appropriation for 1889 was referred to cas
committee on budget tOr3pOr a tue March
term Of the commissioners court.
The committee on jail was authorized by
res 1lution to make certain exterior and iu-
terror change about the jail.
MUST KEEP THE DRAINS CLEAR
A petition from citizens Of the Cattle
Park district f,r tie use Of the CT aia-za4s<
TO clean out certain drains was read. AZ;
Clerk Dillon was directed 70 bring {, the
attention II the petitioner the act approved
Sept l, 1855, requiri & tie owners If prog
evty through which drains have been Opened
by the county to keep the drains clear, d
if the property owners Do not do 80 then
the commissioners are to do the work and
collect from the property holders.
The privilege Of shooting on the . 1eans-
berry plantation wa, granted b ". G.
Cooper and others on the same terms a, n
previous years.
Ire bonds of Tax Collector J. J Nc
Gowan, AMI Constable Peter Mcdonald Of
the Eighth strict were accepted, and the
officers gu dItied.
S7,e a. ap locations fjr LIQUOR licenses
were referred 20 the roDer CO hm.ttee.
The commissioners sigR-d the eas. of the
Whitfield building. TIE ease p DIVIDES for
rental Of $1,000 year, running from
March l, 1889, u sept l, 1889, with th9
privilege OF renewing mo lease for one yea
at tfe same rental, when he present lease
expires.
County Attorney J r. Saussy sauthor-
lied TO prepare form for the new county
court house bonds 20 be sn0r3ly issued Rjd
10 the following denominations: Fifty Of
1000 each, eighty Of $500 eaco aad 100 OF
500 each-sl0O 600 all
Bis were passed amounting 10 SI3,-
lis 81.
TIE TAX QUESTION.
County Attorney Saussy presented the
following report of the power Of tho county
70 assess taxes;
In answer TO the question submitted TO me
through the clerk viz. the extreme percentage
Of state tax counties can lew l rtspectf,lly
submit that under the gene al law o. the state
the tax for county purposes, exclusive OF tax
and expenditure specifically provided for or
authorized, which the county authorities arc
empowered TO levy, cannot exceed fifty per
cent. upon the amount Of the state tax for tae
year and requires the recommendation Of two
Code Section 500.
When debts have accumulated against the
county so that 100 PER cent. on the state AK or
the am unit specially allowed by local law. can
not pay the current expenses OF the county
and the debt IN one year. the debts shall be paid
of as rapidly as ssble, al least twenty five
ggs Sss ''D'' every year. Code Section 'i' 90 Ca
Under the constitution Of 1897 county can
not incur any new deOt except for a temporary
loan or loans 70 supply casual deficiencies II
revenue, not 70 exceed one NTH Of one per
cent. Of the taxable property therein. with
out the assent OF two-thirds Of the
qualified voters etc, and the onali.
fed voters not b. their assent
auth rize the mourning Of new debts except
for those provided fog n the constitution, "ex-
ceeding per cent, OF the assessed value Of all
taxable property IN the county" SO that the
accumulation OF ind btedness to be provided
for in section 5lI Of the Code must arise from
deficiencies ocoaIoned by the excess OF tbs
current expenses and expenditures authorized
by the constitution over the amount raised by
taxation.
Expenditures authorized by the constitution
are: Public education In the elementary
branches OF an English education only, building
and repairing the public buildings and brd yes,
maintaining and supporting prisoners, paying
Jurors aud coroners litigation, quarantine,
roads, expenses OF court, and support Of
paupers. To meet these charges II tax OF 80
per centum upon the state tax Is not sufficient,
then the rate may be Increased to 100 per
centum upon the state tax. no addition to the
taxes specifically authorized 10 b. levied with
out the recommendation OF the grand fury In
the county Of Chatham the rate may be in.
creased 5J per centum ~ addition TO the 100 per
cent allowed by the general law. 1. e., 40 per
centum upon tue state tax. Acts OF l6o2 'SS,
=. 529j ne following taxes which may be as
sessed aBd levied by the commissioners without
~ Ira r.aN