San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-03-12
TAXPAYERS MEETING.
SYNOPSIS OF CHARTER OF THE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
A Large and Enthusiastic Meeting
or Our Solid Citizens, Who
Speak Plainly.


o'clock, when the committee on the
Charter amendments made report The
following is synopsis OF their report:
ave beg leave to report favorably upon
the adoption Of the following numbered
sections Of the charter amendments re-
commended by the committee appointed by
the mayor, to-wit: Sections Nos. 81,
As, 49, POI and 203. We further beg leave
to report unfavorably upon all other
amendments, and in their place offer the
substitutes herewith submitted.
In the case were no substitute is offered
we submit that the charter should not be
| changed. In the case of section No. 102
we recommend that the amendment
ShOuli limit compulsory vaccination to
strictly public institutions.
We further recommend that the chair
man of this meeting appoint a committee
of twenty-five to represent the views Of
the meeting before the legislature.
Sec. 4. Defines the manner of how the
city shall be divided into wards.
Sec. 5. Time of holding elections; the
first Tuesday in November, and the re-
turns of such election made as provided
by the general laws of the state.
Sec. "a. PrescribeS some OF the special
duties of the mayor and council as to ap-
pointmentS of officers, filling vacancies,
| removals, suspensions, etc.
Sec. 90. All elections in the city shall be
held and returns shall be made as provid-
ed by the law of the state. The qualifi-
cation of voters shall be as prescribed in
article Of the state constitution Pro-
vided that all elections wherein property
taxpayers only are allowed to vote, those
only whose names appear on the last
ad valorem tax roll of the city and who
have actually paid a property tax for the
preceding year in their own right and
name shall be deemed property taxpay-
erS. The section further defines special
rules covering such elections.
Sec. 49, Two aldermen shall be elected
| from each ward by the voters thereof. The
alderman shall hold Office for two years
and until their successors are elected and
qualified. All alderman shall have reSid-
ed in their respective wards at least six
months prior to their election and shall
vacate their Office II at any time they
should remove therefrom.
Sec. "a. No person shall be mayor or al
derman who is disqualified from holding
Office under the fourteenth amendment of
| the constitution of the United States, and
| at the time of his election is not a citizen
| OF Texas and resident within the city
| Ii nits at least one year preceding his
election, or who is not the owner of real
a city tax for the year preceding.
Sec. 39-Sets forth the power and
duties of the mayor and council at meet
ingS.
TO BORROW MONEY.
Sec. 43. To borrow money on the
credit of the city and Issue bonds there
for to an amount not to exceed fifty
thousand dollars (S50,0G0) for street i'm
provements and ten thousand dollars
$4,000 for sidewalk purposes during
one year: Provided, that the sum Of
ten thousand dollars $4,000 per year
for sidewalk purposes may be borrowed
for and during five years from the pas
sage of this act and not thereafter. To
make loan exceeding the aforesaid sums
the question must be submitted to the
property tax paying voters of the city,
and If sustained by a majority OF the
voters polled such loan shall be lawful
All bonds shall specify for what purpose
they were issued and shall not be sold for
less Than their par value: with accrued
interest to date of payment of proceeds
into the city treasury; nor shall any COM
mission or other compensation ever be
paid for the negotiation or sale OF such
bonds and the bonds are to be
| negotiated In lots as the city council
that no debt shall be contracted for the
payment whereof such bonds are issued
Except the sidewalk bonds) until such
bonds shall have been disposed of and
the proceeds thereof paid into the city
treasury, and when any bonds are issued
by the city fund shall be provided to
pay the interest and not less than 2 per
cent per annum on the principal as a
sinking fund to redeem the bonds, which
fund shall not be diverted or drawn for
any other purpose, and the city treas
urer shall honor no draft drawn on said
fund except to pay the interest or to re-
deem the bonds for which it was pro-
vded, and for the payment OF such loan
to levy a special tax over and above the
general tax allowed by this act. Pro-
vided, the rate of tax shall not exceed
one-half of / per cent, and the rate of
interest paid shall not exceed 6 per cent.
Provided, also, no loan shall be made
for any other purpose or purposes
than those connected with the cor
poration of said city, and no loan
shall be made to aid any private enter
prise, railroad or undertaking not under
management or control of the city coun-
Gil, the sinking fund for the redemption
of any loan or debt to be invested, as fast
as the same accumulateS, in United States
interest bearing bonds, bonds of the state
of Texas, or in city bonds, and such bonds
and the interest of such bonds, to be re-
invested and to be sold when necessary to
pay debts or loans. The amounts eX-
pended by the city out of said sidewalk
fund for the construction of sidewalks
for individuals, shall as fast as the same
is repaid by such individuals to the city,
be used for street Improvements.
TO APPROPRIATE MONEY.
Sec. IS. To appropriate money and pro-
vide for the payment of the debts and ex-
penseS of the city: Provided, That the
bonded debt of the CITY shall not be in
crea sed nor miner evidences of debt be