The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-14
sEATTLE. FRIDAY. AUG. ~.
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.

Mayor White yesterday sent to the city
council message which is Of great inn
portance inasmuch as it brings TO an issue
the financial condition of the city and the
course TO be adopted in dealing with It. IL
Is presented in sufficient time TO enable all
who are concerned to give due considera-
ton TO the subject with which 1t mainly
deals before It becomes necessary to ar
rive at an irrevocable decision. On
or before the first Monday in Sep
TENDER the tax levy must be made
and before then the questions involved
must be settled. The apparent defect in
The charter, by which the tax collection
would seem TO have to begin in the
eleventh month Of the current year in
stead of in time to meet the expenditure of
The ensuing year, is one that should be
remedied at the earliest possible moment.
II can only be done by amendment at the
next general election, and the necessary
steps, which are complicated, must be
taken prior TO December 31st.
1t is decidedly contrary to good business
principles that the city should conduct its
affairs perpetually on the credit system,
and the whole tenor Of the charter is evil
dence that system of cash payments was
meditated.
Briefly stated, the Mayor recites, as
basis for comment, facts now generally
known. The property valuation Of the
city is declared by the city comptroller as
sx-officio assessor to be $H,0O0, 600,
allowing an Indebtedness for gen.
eral municipal purposes not to ex-
seed $2,2o0.oOo. 1t is estimated that on
December 31st, 1881, the Indebtedness Of
the city funds will be si03 ,e4210, to which
must be added the amount due on judg-
ments, $143, 43247: and that due. for the
Yesler, Rinehart and other property taken
'or street improvements, $4,000; alto
gether $797, 900 or $500, 600 in round figures.
The bonded Indebtedness is $4,000 for
Grant street bridge and 100000 Seattle
funding bonds. recently authorized. The
Mayor properly dismisses the water bonds
rs not part Of the liability to be now con-
idered, as that is a profitable investment.
The Mayors proposition is 70 fund the
whole Of the indebtedness up to December
81, proceeding that was tacitly assented
10.
OF more immediate interest. Is his sug-
yestion as to the tax levy. 1t has been as
sumed that whatever sum was collected
rom this years assessment would be de-
voted to next years expenses. IL the
mayors Interpretation of the charter be
'ound correct, whatever should be realized
rom this years taxation must be de-
Foted TO the reduction of the
present Indebtedness. A heavy levy mus.
De made next year If the charter is
amended so that the proceeds of taxation
,hall be sufficient for the payment of not
only the then current years expenses, but
enough TO anticipate those of the ensuing
rear
Until the practicability of so large an
.ssue of bonds has been determined by the
financial authorities of the city, the
theoretical advantages of the policy can
,ot be decided. The opinions of those
best competent TO judge of so serious a
matter should be invited
Nobody will question the soundness of
The Mayors dictum that ''It is no less true
IF cities than of private concerns, that
more mischief is worked by loose methods
Of business than by carrying heavy but
adjusted liability" The chief value of
The message is the comprehensiveness
with which il places before the public a
question in which every citizen is inter-
.sted and upon which action cannot now
De long deferred.