The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-11-23

FIVE per cent on its taxable property
which was contracted in violation OF Law
Laws Of 1891, page 267.
"As to the qualification OF voters, 1t 10
provided by section 80 Of the charter,
chapter 4, that voter must be qualified
under the laws of the territory: must
have resided in the city three months and
In the ward ten days, and II under SO
years Of age he must have paid poll or
property tax. As above shown. the word
territory must be held to mean state and
the state constitution has made no
changes other than TO recognize resi-
dence In the ward OF thirty days, and the
pa iment Of tax is not necessary. The
charter yields to the constitution, and
those may vote who are qualified under
the constitution. No legislation Is need
ed. The charter adapts itself to the con-
stitution. Touching the levy and collec-
ton OF taxes, the city has full power to
levy for general municipal purposes. under
section Of the charter, one-half OF one
per cent. and special taxes for ave, water
and sewerage, which, with the enlarged
powers above shown under the constitu-
ton and laws to contract debts and issue
bonds equal to ten per cent. OF the assess.
ed property, are ample for all purposes,
and under the provisions OF chapter II
the form OF the roll, the rule for ascer-
tanning the owners, the persons to whom
the assessment shall be made, and the
manner Of collection, is TO be the same as
that prescribed for the assessment and
collection OF state and county taxes by
existing laws, and by existing laws
is meant laws in force at the time OF
the tax levy; and under our present state
revenue law, before sale of real estate
for county taxes can be made, a judg-
ment must be entered in the superior
court declaring the lien and fixing the
amount due. and, in order to conform to
the existing laws, judgment can be 90
obtained by the city attorney and
sale had under the judgment OF
Of the court. There is no difficulty
in proceeding under the present charter
while, as provided by the charter. the
time OF making the assessment, and Of
making the levy and collection, and
when the taxes are to become delinquent,
all are to be fixed by ordinance. As to
the extension Of the city boundaries, II
matters not whether the city continues
under the present charter or organizes as
a third class city. Its boundaries may
be extended only under the general law
which is applicable to all cities. Laws OF
1890, page 227.
at will be seen, therefore, that the
present charter meets all the wants OF the
city, and an examination Of the general
laws and acts Of 1890, pages 1925, and
the amendment act OF 1861, page 1893,
will disclose that our present charter
gives the city moe power and better
guarded than for a city Of the third class
in fact, the powers given in our charter
are rs full and, in many instances, better
defined than those even for city OF the
second class under the general law, aud
we will be going backward now il We pro-
coed to organize as third class city, In
o. der to come in as such third class city
two elections will be necessary-frst, on
the reorganization, and, II adopted, then
an election OF oificers-acts OF 1890, page
l34-and then general election must be
held on the first Tuesday after the first
Monday Of December next-page 1893,
section l44--three elections within a few
months. In order to make the change
much expense will be necessary, no BIZ n
eft derived, and there cannot be as good
government as under the present char
ter. City charters should not be chang
ed, unless it Is absolutely necessary, and
then only when the government will be
certainly improved by such change. 1t
is better that we bear those ills we have
than fly to those We know not Of.