The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-08
Lively Meeting of the Superb
sors Oyer the City's
Finances.
POLICE FORCE INCREASED.
Members Of the Board Sharply d.
vided Over a Proposition to
Lower the Big Rate.

passed by the Board OF Supervisors yester-
day.
Supervisors Dimond, Hobbs and Taylor
tried time and again 70 cut down the levy.
Once or twice they were helped by several
other members, but every smash they
made at the growing figures proved inef-
fectual and the Solid Eight finally passed
to print one of the highest tax levies made
in years.
Mayor Sutro and Supervisor Spreckels
were absent. Supervisor Taylor occupied
the chair.
Before the regular meeting the members
caucused to discuss the tax levy. Super
visors Taylor and Hobbs of the Finance
Committee stated that they had agreed
upon levy which they would decline to
raise. Other members urged increasing
some of the appropriations. 1t was appar-
ent that no agreement could be reached, so
they adjourned to battle it out later on in
the open session of the board.
The Finance Committee submitted re-
markable report, of which the following
are the features:
Gentlemen: Your Finance Committee submit
for your action order fixing the tax levy for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1896. In It's
preparation your committee were governed by
the action or your honorable DOdrQ anu are
not responsible as the sponsors of several of
the appropriations provided for therein. 1t is
true. however, that under decisions and action
of our courts justifying expenditures in excess
of appropriations by virtue of statutory re-
quirements construed, together with in
creased expenditures imposed by the Leglsla-
ture, the so-called one-dollar limit is set aside
and for the purposes of the government under
| the conditions is wholly insufficient.
1t is unfortunate that your honorable board
deem it imperative to carry out policy that
nj hJpvr TOW
rate for City and County purposes, the tax levy
being 81 1876 on each 800, making, with the
levy for State purposes OF $3.50 cents, a total OF
So 1926.
While the tax rate necessarily must be high
it would be judicious to make some reductions
whereby the burdens imposed by the Legisla-
ture might be only partially provided for this
year, leaving the balance to form portion Of
the levy of the succeeding year.
Your committee are prompted to make this
suggestion because of the fact that the values
of property have been seriously affected, q
general depreciation being experienced, and
the imposition of high rate of taxation is not
the means to give relief to our citizens or re-
store confidence to the owners of property,
who in many instances have improved prop
erty the revenue from which is barely suffi-
Gent to pay taxes, insurance and incidental
expenses without any commensurate return
on the value of their investments.
These are stubborn facts, which appeal to
your consideration and they are self-evident,
for in many OF our streets business property is
idle or rented for moiety of what it paid
years ago, and in many instances the owner is
glad TO find tenant al any price. While in
part this has been caused by the erection Of
high modern buildings, one of which will
alone accommodate the tenants of q dozen
buildings, yet our property-owners have in adj
dition to contend against general depression,
all of which initiates against their interest
and that of the public
If under present conditions dozen build
ings OF the Mills type were erected they would
accommodate all the wants OF our professional
men, and nothing but vacant buildings would
meet the eye. If in addition to this mania of
erecting buildings to height that overtops
in proper and just regulation as to height
or from an onerous and excessive tax levy,
what incentive is there to make investments,
or in what will they be benefited?
Acting on the opinion of reducing instead of
increasing the tax levy, your committee are
cons trained to report against an oral applica-
ton of the Board of Health for an appropria-
ton sufficient to allow the board to appoint a
Vaccinating Physician, Milk Inspector and a
clerk to the Quarantine Officer, although
recognizing the Importance of the duties as
recommended. Your committee also consider
ing that much valuable aid would be given by
police officers, who are ex-oftieio Health In
spectors, to ascertain, report and cause to be
abated all nulsances, such duty so performed
would enable the Board of Health to use some
of the inspectors now employed for those pur-
poses.
When "new business" was called the
Fl ght centered hard and fast about the tax
levy.
Supervisor Wagner opened the ball by
asking for an increase of $4,000 for the
proposed Folsom street boulevard and for
an amendment repeating the order increas-
ing the police force.
1.-THE Folsom-stre boulevard can go
over another year justas well as not, pro-
tested Supervisor Dimond in reply. cit
has a number of newly paved blocks. Other
streets stand in pressing need OF ordinary
improvements, and I think in the present
condition of the City treasury Folsom
street can afford to wait just little while
for it's $4,000"
Supervisor Hughes voiced opinions SIM
liar to Dimond's.
On the rollcall the motion to grant the
money was lost by the following vote:
Ayes-King, Hirsch, bunker. Morgen-
tern, Hobbs, Wagner.
Noes = scully. Benjamin, Dimond,
Hughes, Taylor.
The amendment repeating the order by
which the police force was increased by
the addition of seventy-five men was de-
feated by vote of to 2, TAYLOR and King
voting against the repeal. This threw the
board back on the original order increas-
ing the force. Dimond called attention to
the fact that no money had been provided
in the proposed tax levy, with which to
pay them, but later on that was remedied.
Supervisor Dimond then aimed cut at
the proposed tax levy. He moved to con-
denim the buildings on Washington street,
next to the old City Hall, and to erect a
new structure on the square. In the pro-
posed tax levy it was recommended that
$500, 900 should be set aside for this pur-
pose. Dimond moved that $4S,000 to be
paid for the condemned property, be sub
stituted for this sum.
Supervisors Hughes and Wagner OBJ
iected. They argued that the change in
figures might invalidate the whole plan.
They said lawyers were divided on the
point, and that it was best to remain on
the safe side.
Hughes said he had long petition for
the construction of the building signed by
such business men as Levi Strauss & Co..
the Neuberger- Reiss Company, Louis
Sloss, Cunningham, Curtiss q WEIGH, Siebe
Bros. & Plagemann, A. Gerberding, G.. w.
Granniss, R. B. Woodward and Joseph
Pescia.
The motion to change figures was lost
by vote of s to 8. Dimond, Taylor and
Hobbs voted in the affirmative.
Then came Supervisor Hobbs turn to
take clip at the big figures. 1.-The pro-
posed levy has $4,000 set aside for Golden
Gate Park, he said. Il move that the
sum be cut down to $256. 000."
But the other Supervisors did not see it
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