The herald., 1895-10-13
AbOlishing Offices Looks Like
a Buzz Saw
NO REPORT FOR TOMORROW
Councilmen Are Hedging In the Impor-
tant Matter
There Is Fear that If the Reform Is Really
Brought About it May InvaIidats
This Years Tax Levy

There will be no report ready tom orrow
from the special committee to whom was
referred the proposed abolishment of the
offices of city assessor and city tax col
lector. 1t is now two weeks since the
petition Of the Citizens League was in
troduced In the council anu was referred
by tnat bo iy to committee consisting
of Councilmen Munson, Kingery and
Snyder. The petition was at first re-
ceived with flourish of trumpets, near
ly every member of the council express
ing himself publicly in favor of the pro-
posed change. All Of them still express
themselves in the same strain publicly,
but hitch. or rather several of them,
have arisen and Just at this time it is
doubtful if the necessary ordinance abol-
lshlng the two offices named, as is pro-
vlded by the new state law, will be
passed, at least during the life OF the
present administration.
In the first place, the mayor IS opposed
to the contemplated change on the ground
that If it is brought about the supervisors
will fix the valuation of the property in
side the city at much lower figure than
tho amount now stated, which would give
the city the short end of the speculation
By several millions of dollars.
Councilman Sndyer is one of the few
memb bers of the city legislature who has
opposed the change from the start. HIS
argument is that while in favor of the
economy which the abolishment would
bring about, there is danger that the law
authorizing the change might, alter it
has been in effect tor several months, be
declared by the supreme court to be un-
constitutional, in which event the city s
tax levy would go to smash and the
wheels of city government would have to
abruptly STOP as there would be no money
with which to pay the police or the fire
departments, or the cost of street sphinx.
ling or anything else, incidentally tho
salaries OF the members OF the city coun-
Gil. Sndyer has about convinced nearly
all of his colleagues that the subject is
one which, if not handled properly, may
develop into a municipal buzz saw.
Representative Bulla, who introduced
the bill for the change in the last legisla-
ture, has come out openly against its con-
stitutionality, upon the ground that the
office vacant, bas no power to delegate
that right:to any other body. The bill
was drawn here and was sent to Sacra-
mento last winter as Los Angeles meas
ule. 1t is stated by attorneys to be in
more ways than one very imperfect
measure. 1t was referred to the judiciary
committee tor the proper trimming, but
house committee on municipal corpora
tions, of which Representative Guy of San
Diego was the chairman. The latter COM
mlttee reported the measure in the clos
ing days of the session and it was passed
without opposition.
Two years ago Charles Mcfarland,
who was then the city attorney, drew a
bill having similar object. This meas
ure did not con.ain the several glaring
defects of the later law, but it was never
passed. The law as it stands makes no
provision anywhere Tor bond by the
county tax collector to .he city. The lat
ter official is to be the connecting link
between the city and the county in fin
ancial tax matters if the proposed ANAL
gamation finally takes place, and the
special council committee all say that
they will oppose the proposed change if
the necessary bond cannot be legally
forced from the county TAX collector in
the matter. Some sort of friendly suit
may be arranged between all of the par
ties concerned to determine whether or
not the new law is constitutional. I'm.
less this can be done the report of the
special committee, when it has been fin
ally made, will probably be unanimously
adverse to the proposed abolishment.