Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-26
The Finance Committee
Reports to the Council.
A Rate of One Dollar and
Twenty Cents Recommended.
The Citizens Water COmpany's Open
Ditch Considered.
Yesterdays Meeting of the Council-Sev-
eral Important Matters Acted Upon
The Tax Levy and Board of
Education.

AT Ten o cfOcK yesterday HOIHIHS,
the city council met in regular session,
President Frankenfeld and all the mem
bers, with the exception of Mr.. Brown,
present.
After the usual preliminary business
had been disposed of, City Clerk iced
submitted the corrected assessment roll
in seven volumes. He reported that
all the proceedings of the board of
equalization had been conducted strictly
according to law, and he stated that the
total footings showed that the levy for
tax for municipal purposes would have
to be $1.20. The matter was referred to
the finance committee.
The reports of the street superinten-
dent, board of education and zanja COM
mittee having been read and adopted,
that of the board of health was taken up.
Health Officer MCGOWAN read the reso-
lutions OF the board OF health condemn
ing the water, and Mr.. j. I. Steward
exhibited pickle jar filled with fluid
which had been dipped from the ditch.
Mr.. Steward spoke very earnestly OF the
grievances of the people thus afflicted.
The physicians had stated that this
so-called water was breeding both mala-
ria and diphtheria. Mr.. G. M. Wells
also protested and SAID the supply ought
to be cut off if a pestilence was to be
averted. The subject was finally made
the special order for O'Clock, p. m.
The report of the committee on fire
and water was read and adopted, and
that of the city auditor on the condition
of the city's funds for the week ending
August 23d, was referred to the finance
committee.
The draft of an ordinance revoking
franchises granted the Olive street rail-
way, l. w. Hellman and the City Rail
way company, was read, and on motion
of Major Bonsall the same was adopted,
as was also that amending ordinance
No. 739, granting to H. G. Wilmer a
franchise to construct cable street rail-
way, which was approved on the 9TH
instant.
Mrs. Ransome appeared before the
council and asked for an appropriation
in aid of the Ransome Home. Her re-
commissioners and the city attorney.
The following report of the finance
committee was then presented and
read:
Your finance committee beg leave to make
the following report:
First-In the matter of the assessment rolls
and tax levy for the present fiscal year we find
ally computed by the city clerk, after entering
thereon all changes made by the board OF
equal cation to be $4oOsO 4l6,
Included in this amount is the sum Gf 1913,
600, which is the aggregate amount of assess
ments placed upon the assessment rolls by the
board of equalization at the suggestion of the
city attroney, against the several banks of the
CITY, Inasmuch as Il writ of review has issued
by the superior court in these bank matters,
which require us to desist from further 1I pro
tiers in dispute; and presuming that tn gu s.
ton will be taken TO the highest courts to de-
eide, thus closing this source OF revenue for
the present at least, and deeming it prudent
policy to avoid computing a tax levy on any
assessment the collection of which is matter
of some uncertainty we ave subtracted the
sum of 50 19 900 from the total assessment, thus
giving US "a, 162, 416 as a basis of calculation.
in the event of the courts deciding that the said
assessment against the banks was legally and
increased to the amount OF $11, 160 or there
abouts. Should the funds be the other way the
funds would suffer no abatement, as would be
the case should this assessment be considered
when making the calculation for the levy.
The charter limits the tax for all municipal
purposes, except for the payment of the interest
and sinking funds, to ST. In addition to this u
general state law grants to the municipal
authority power to levy in excess of the dollar
limit, sum sufficient for the care and preserva-
ton of the public parks.
Considering the somewhat depressed condi-
ton of the times and the generally expressed
desire that the utmost economy should be prac-
ticed in the levying of municipal as well other
taxes, your committee did not deem it advisable
to recommend that you levy this extra amount
value OF the parks and believe that money of
the municipality invested in this direction, if
wisely expended to be of the highest benefit to
the taxpayer. For all municipal purposes the
limit OF 81 has therefore been adopted. 2
The rate of taxation last year was sl.1O. For
this year we recommend it abe sl:2O, as per
fortl, tl,a fr,or
being due simply to the increased bonded in
deDtedness of the city. The act OF the legis
lature under authority of which the school i'm
provement and internal sewer system bonds
were voted by the people and issued, require
that in addition to the interest being paid one
twentieth of the entire issue of the bonds shall
be paid each year. thus making the interest an6
the called-in bonds equal for the first year, il
this case amounting to $57 400. This provision
of law is without doubt wise one, but it hal
the tendency to increase the burden of taxation
The city auditor has presented to this council
detailed statement of the financial condition
of the city at the end of the fiscal year of 1889
80, and therein presented atable of amounts re
quired for the fiscal year 1S9O91, basing the
same upon the amounts expended in the yea
before and upon the estimates of the severa
boards which have been filed with him as re
qured by law. But we maintain that the ex
penditures of the past year can be reduced
Already contracts to do the street sweeping ant
street sprinkling at almost half of the for
mer prices have been entered into, and it is be
lieyed that the streets can be lighted at greatly
reduced figures, the present contract expiring
with this year.
Unless the unexampled scenes of last winter
be repeated. whereby the streets were placed il
a condition which requires the expenditure o
large amounts OF money to put them il
proper condition, we are of the opinion tina
expenditures can be cut down all alon
the line.
During the present year salaries have beef
reduced in a number of instances and a larg
saving brought about, which has enabled tn
council on several occasions to assist tn
various funds bya transfer of them from tn
salary fund, which contained surplus.
For this reason we have reduced tn
amount to be raised to about $3.50, 600 being
deduction from the auditors estimate O
about 100000. comparative statement i
herewith set FORTH containing a proposed lev.
or rate per cent, and we recommend it
adoption.
Audi
tors esti- Cents vii
amo uiSs' s1oSop. d pee
Interest and sinking
fund, 1879. ... $ 4,707.2 5 Ill 4.71t
Main sewer, interest
and sinkf und, IT 990.16 .2I 1,O1'
Irrig imp. int and
sinkg fund.- 1877 .1,45O.90 .35 1,4Ss
Gen. irrig., int. and
sinking fund, '7S. 2,466.3O SO 2,46l
Bond fund, 1881. 100000 80 4,O74
Gen imp. bond fund 56,671.O0 1926 1906
Public school imp,
tenn and sink fund ZO,OOO.OO All 1891
Interior sewer sys-
int, interest and
sinking fund. .... By, 10000 NO 37'43s
Fire dept. fund =. 67,699.24 1910 5s.49(
Street sprinkling -o 90 90.
fund .......-.'. 11ooSVxVo1'44SS - % 9 '50s