Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-20
SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL,
MAYOR PApDooiS's COMMUNICATION
ON THE AMENDMENTS.
A Committee VIII lie Sent to Austin
10 work for Their Pn-sagc-some
Pertinent Suggestions About "Tax
Drokers"--A Veto overridden.

The council met last night. with
| Mayor Paddock In the chair and twelve
OF the aldermen present Courclmon
Tlllcr and Barr cane In during tae .oll
call, and the others, with the exception
OF Alderman Fry. arrived shortly att0r.
The last meetings minutes were read.
Alderman Williams coming in before
this was concluded. The minutes were
adopted as read Alderman Fry was
excused on account of absence from
the city. City Attorne. Templeton.
Auditor Collier and Engineer Coppage
were excused on account OF sickness In
family.
The claims committees report was
read and adopted. II recommended
the payment OF several claims, the
principal one being that OF Max Elser
for $j377.5O for school vouchers,
A communication from the Mercan-
tile Trust company OF New York, and
hill for services as trustee. was read
and referred to the claims committee.
The health committees report recom-
mended the payment OF claims to the
plantation IT was allowed.
The resignation OF Il. l. Palmer as
superintendent Of public dumping
grounds, was received and accepted.
Upon motion tue city secretary was
instructed TO cast the unanimous vote
of the council for j, a. Palmer.
a few comparatively unimportant
communications We're read, the reports
Of the city marshal and pound-keeper
were received, ana the following mes
sage from the mayor was read and re-
fcrred 10 the finance committee. with
Instructions to investigates
10 the Honorable City Council, Fort
WORTH Texas;
Gentlemen: I am advised that new
Industry has sprung up beneath the
shadow NJ the city hall, that deserves
your attention II Ia asserted that tho
.p,It OF enterprise which is character
istic Of our citizenship has eliminated
IN the foundation VI Il business which
may be called tax reduction broker
age II is charged that this broker
nEc hrm are engaged In seeking out
inc TAX payer and proposing 10 secure
for him a reduction Of his assessment
and divide tho amounts saved thereby.
You can not have failed 70 notice the
unusually large number Of applications
or thlg character which have recently
come before your honorable body. /
suggest that your finance committee bc
and take such steps as may be mecca.
snry to protect the interests OF the CITY
Yours respectfully,
b. -. PADDOCK, Mayor.
Then followed the reading OF the + y
lowing suggestions from Mayor PAD
throughout
Fort Worth. Tex. March is. 1885,
To the Honorable City Council OF Fort
Worth, TcN,-Gcnllemen: have re-
celyed copy OF senate bill No. 1gl.
which seeks to amend several sections
or the charter OF this city. ms the same
was reported TO the SENATE by the COM
mlttee on towns and city corparatlons-
aud II now pending In the senate.
several changes have been made I'm
the amendments, as they were formu-
lated and adopted by your honorable
body, some of which are OF such n
serious and important nature TINT I
deem it my duty to present them for
your consideration. and for such action
as mny be deemed advisable
VIII notice these changes In the
order IN which they appear In the bill.
FlrSt-Thc senate committee have soon
proper to fix the salary of the CITY
Judge at nine hundred dollars per
administering the city council ma
opportunity to exercise its Judgment
or discretion In the matter. II Ia n
repetition OF the acts of the last leris-
lature In fixing the salary OF the rity
attorney at nm absolute figure. wbcro-
by the sum OF one thousand dollars per
year was unnecessarily taken from Tho
pockets of the tax payers. | can 500
no good reason why these two ofIlcos
should he selected In their turn for
legislative tavOrs. and 10 be consistent
| the salaries OF all the city onlcInIs
should be fixed by enactment OF the
Legislature, and the responsibility taken
from the council entirely.
The second enactment takes from tho
city, without Its consent. the right 70
Invest It's slnlSlng funds In It's own bonds
rms right the city has always enjoyed
and so far ns my research goes Az
enjoyed by every city in the lnnd
Thcre can be no better or more appro-
pirate investment for the sinking f,inds
Of the city than itu own bonds None
could be more safe or desirable Ia
| restrict tile Investment 10 bonds OF the
United states, the bonds of the state AZ
VeNAs. and to Texas county bonds
practically limits the Investment 10
county bonds, for the others COM
mand such premium that the lnterest
rate would only not about two per
cent per aunum,
Thlrd--Sections f0in and lob and Ios
which We're framed to facilitate Tho col'
lection OF taxes from unwilling tnx
payers. and TO relieve the unfortunate
va pos'r WhoSe property had been sold
for taxes from the onerous burden ~
a double penalty has been emnsculntei
almost beyond recognition, and In ia
present shape could be appropriately
termed " bill TO prevent tho collec.
ton Of taxes and TO ofrer a premium
for DELINQUENCY"
You VIII remember that section 10e
nv presented by your honorable body
provided That whenever. real property
was sold for taxes the owner mIghf re. !
deem the Same by paying two dollars
ana hfty cents costs aud a sum Rs
penalty, equal TO twenty-five per cont
of the amount OF the taxes n redeemed
IN three months. ffty per cent IL re-
deemed In six months, seventy-tlve per
cent II redeemed IN twelve months. and
one hundred per cent II redeemed in
two years. The object OF this amend.
inent was clearly 10 encourage the re-
demption OF property sold at tax sales
ana to relieve the delinquent OF n ,
portion OF the burdensome penalty II |
he redeemed his property within n |
year Tho senate committee has, In It's !
wisdom, seen proper 10 change the per
centum OF penalty from the amounts
stated above the two and one-halt per
cent II the property be redeemed in |
three months ilve per cent II redeemed |
IN sis