The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-04-02
THE CHANGES MADE YESTERDAY IN
THE NEW CITY CHARTER.
The Boundaries Were Extended to Bar
ton Cresk-SOme Figures Oh the Taxa
tion Clause and Other
y
Items.

with few amendments thought b
its frie1 ds to more certainly obviat
the objections of the governor to tn
former bill. The changes made in tn
revised charter are briefly as follows
l. The objection to the form of tn
boundaries was obviated by maxim
the boundary lines straight. TIL
committee thought it best to run tn
lines by streets and roads between
outlots and by subdivision line O
surveys, so that the lines could b
recognized without making a surve,
and establishing monuments, and t,
avoid so running the lines that the,
would cross lots and blocks diago.
nally, and in some instances probabl,
run through residences. But none O
these objects could be accomplished
without crooks and offsets, and fire.
quent sharp changes OF courses
where were taken advantage Of
by the enemies of the charter
to charge favoritism and unfairness
Several enemies of the charter seemed
to occupy their time in circulating
false representations on this subject,
and while the committee thought the
way in which the boundaries we're
first run would have proved more sat
isfactory than will the straight lines
now run. Yet to obviate the obiec-
tions they have run the lines straight.
The objection that property south of
the river and west of south Austin's
eastline was in closer proximity to
the city than some other property in
south Austin, and the intimation that
the property just west of south Aus
tin was passed by through favoritism
to It's owners have been put at rest by
the amendment of Judge Terrell, 80
extending the boundaries as to ia
clude the territory up to BartoG's
Creek, and as far south as the pro.
posed southern boundary line of the
city in south Austin south of Capt.
Doughty's.
.. The objections to Furnishing nui-
sauces which affected the waters OF
the river out of the limits Of tho city
have been obviated by emitting from
the bill all authority to punish null
sauces committed without the limits
of the city.
3. The objections to the powers of
the water and light commissioners
urged by the governor were of a char
acter to require the omission OF all
the provisions pertaining to such
board.
The objection to the legislature ex
pressing an,opinion on the validity of
the water and light bonds are obvi-
ated by emitting the Objectionable
clause. This clause was of no i'm
portance except to aid the bonds in
the markets. There is no douot Of
their validity, and the clarse would
never have been inserted if it could
have been known there was opposi-
ton to it.
5. The OH ction to the general
power OF the city to acquire property
beyond the city limits is obviated by
this power in only few
instances for purposes that might
necessitate the owning of property
beyond the limits of the city.
6. The objections of the governor
10 the taxing powers were set forth as
suggestions only, and were not made
goounds for vetoing the bill, and this
power has been retained with an
amer dment which would certainly in
clude the school tax within the maxi
mum limit. 1t seems that this maxi
mum limit of q per cent has been
construed ITO authorize the council,
without a vote of tax payers, to 60 to
that limit. But such is not the case.
The council is limited to levying only
per cent for general purposes, the
school tax and an additional amount
to pay interest and sinking fund on the
bonded Indebtedness created or to be
created by vote of two-thirds OF
the tax payers. Thus is the council
levies tax exceeding l per cent
it must be by force of the general laws
Of the state fixing the school TAX rate
and to pay interest and sinking fund
On bonds authorized by vote OF two
thirds of the qualified voters who pay
taxes on property in the city. The
provisions of the revised bill on the
subject of taxation are substantially
the same 20 those contained in the
vetoed bill. They are as follows:
TAXATION.
Sec. 35. That the city council shall
have power within the city by ordi-
nance to levy and collect annual taxes
not exceeding for any and all purposes
u per cent of the property values of
o.k,, fo1lAuo.