The Lake Charles echo., 1894-03-30
rRasPEeTs oT THr YEK CElRTER.

Rk0eREcIS OH ffiE AkM JhAhikh
On last Saturday afternoon a joint com
uittee Of the council and board Of trade
met at Judge GorhaIn's Office for the pur-
pose Of further revising the proposed new
charter, it having been discovered that
there had been irregularities ii the ao-
tion Of the council IN the manner Of its
submission, and that some Of the sections
therein had been the subject of some crit
icism BIZ many of cur best citizens. One
Of these sections to which the ECHO called
attention last week. was that providing
for a factotem denominated a Comp
troiler, to be appointed by the council,
clothed with extraordinary powers As
originally provided this officer was first
to make the assessment Of all city prop
erty, then to make taxToIl, thento col
lect the taxes, including the license or
occupation tax; also to bs city treasurer,
and lastly. to be city clerk.
As We stated last week, there was much
opposition to this section for the reason
that it provided for DO system of checks
of balances, and provided unlimited OP
portunities for fraud. Again, this officer,
the most important Of all. to whom
would be ooufded the whole financial
machinery Of the city government, was
to be appointed by the council and not
elected by the people.
The joint committee at this meeting
came to the conclusion that the duties
and powers with which II was proposed
to vest the proposed comptroller would
be better performed by two officers. Hence
! it was decided oman Officer, TO be elected by
! the people. called Assessor and Collect
! or, be ehaEged with the duties of assess
! ing the city property, levyIng and col
/ lecting the taxes as laid by the council,
/ as well as all licenses and other 0bliga-
I tions dae the city. That il shall be the
! duty of the said assessor and collector TO
! torn over TO another officer, called seCEe-
| tary and treasurer. also to be elected by
the people. all amounts collected by him
We have no serious objection to this
arrangement. but it would seem to US
better that the secretary be charged with
the duties Of assessor and of making cut
the tax rolls and that the Treasurer be
the tax collector. This, We think would
make the one office more perfect check
upon the other.
To explain: The assessor and secretary.
under our plan, would make out the tax
book IN duplicate, keeping one copy in
his office and turning the other over to
the treasurer and collector, charging hiH
with the gross amount Of taxes lgvied.
The secretary and assessor shoBld Oc the
person to issue all licenses, only upon the
presentation by the party licensed, Of the
treasurer and collectors receipt for tht
amount of said license. In this way eaeL
Office would he a perfect check upon the
other.
) 1t was also determined that the offices
Of street commissioner and city engineeI
should he consolidated and should b,
elected by the people That a city ply
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