The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-10
An Estimate of Appropriations
That Would Leave a
Surplus.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS NOT REDUCED.
Big Cuts Can Well Be Made in Nearly
All of the Other Municipal
Departments.

An important meeting of the Merchants
Association was held yesterday, the fol-
lowing directors being present: T. w.
Dohrmann, A. S. Baldwin, Charles Bund-
schu, James S. Conwell, w. G. Doane,
William Doxey, A. Fusenot, Hugo D..
Keil, Manfred S. Kohlberg, Henry
Michaels, R. F. Osborn, NJ. A. Rothchild,
Joseph Simonson, Vsnderlynn Stow and
Frank A. Swain, and j. Richard Freud as
secretary.
The date of the convention for the adop-
ton of the new charter was fixed for
Wednesday, August 5, in the assembly
hall of the Mills building. There will be
delegates from all the improvement clubs
of the City, and the convention promises
to be of a most representative character.
1t will be called to order at o'clock in the
evening
1t was decided by the board to send five
delegates to the convention of improve
ment clubs as follows: Messrs. Charles
Bundscbu, James S. Conwell and NJ. A.
Rothchild from the board of directors and
Messrs. NJ. II. Hecht and G. II. Umbsen
from the members at large.
The following sixty-five firms were
elected to membership, making the total
of the association $40.
Levison Bros; Ahpel & Brakeman; The Ed
ward P. Allis Company; Ashton & Gardiner;
Bader q Fineke; Frank Barnard: Bayle, La
coste q Co.; y. J. Beeht; Brown Il Metzner
California sale Deposit and Trust Company
John Center; +. Chevslier & Co.; L. E Claw
son d Co.; Conrad & Goldberg; ]. NJ Curtis &
Son; Cyeiops Iron Works; Walter E. Dean:
Dempster & Son; 4. e. Dietz & Co;
Fisher Packing dd COMPANY; Fgisbiee, Ris:
Anne CRY: Golden Gate Wooden Manufacture,
ing Company w. r. Grace Co.; Greene
baum, Well Il Miehels; A. l. Hall q Son; Halla
q Co.; Hasiet d Bailey; Hay d Wright: c. P.
Heininger & Co.; Mort Hepburn & Co.; F. Hill
lens; Paul keyser; Kittie d Co.; Louis Kline
Co.; W. J; Lowry d Co; Stewart Menzies &
Co.; Meyerfeld, Mitchell & Co.; Lewis Meyer
stein; New York Life Insurance Com
pany Pacific Pine Lumber Company; Parke
Lacy Company; w. NJ. Patterson Company /;
H Plagemann & Co.; Politzer & Co.; Renton,
Holmes Il Co.; Reiss Bros. & Co.; Rix Com
pressed Air Machinery Company; San Fran
cisco Business College; San Francisco Iron
Works; Jonas SchoenfeId; Seegelken & Buck
ner; Siebe Bros. & Plagemann; Smed berg &
Mitchell; James a. Shook & Co.; John F. Snow
Charles NJ. Volkman; William Walker; Sol
Wangenheim & Co.; Welch e. Co.; Willard
Bros; Wolters Bros. d Co.
The most important matter was the con-
sideration of the rax levy for 1867. The
committee upon public affairs to whom
this subject was referred at the previous
meeting is composed of well-known bust
ness men and they gave much time and
attention to it. Their report was exhaus-
tive, and by its contents it was shown
that the affairs of the City can be carried
on in a creditable manner if the levy is 81
cents on the 500 instead of 81 561S, as II
was last hscal year, a matter of no small
Importance to every one who no Ids prop
erty in San Francisco.
In order 10 prove the truth of their as.
sertions the committeeman presented an
estimate OF municipal expenditures for the
year, arranged by departments.
After discussing the report for several
hours the directors registered their in
dorsement and directed the secretary to
send the report to the Board of Super
vIsors. The report is as follows:
To the President and Board of Directors of The
Merchants neutrality-suspicious.: Your COM
mlttee upon public affairs herewith submits
Its special report upon the tax levy for the en-
suing fiscal year beginning July 1, 1896, and
ending June 80 1897. A careful Examination
OF the appropriations for the City Government
during the past fiscal years, as well as the
present requirements of the municipality, has
resulted IN the preparation of the list of esti-
mated appropriations herewith annexed The
total OF these appropriations for the ensuing
fiscal year amounts 10 81 ,945 sos. The Auditor
estimates the revenue OF the City outside OF
taxation at 81 ,452, $50. The Assessor has re-
turned his assessed valuation o. all real and
personal property at $3.50, 326 OBJ. /. Therefore
a tax rate of 81 on the 800 assessed vaIIie lion
would give the City revenue from taxation
OF S3,603,2 60. This amount, together with the
revenue from other sources, will give a total
income of S., 055, $40. Consequently our esti-
mated list OF expenditures for 1867 would
leave surplus of 81 10, 235 on tax rate of ST.
on the $1OO assessed valuation. In explana-
ton OF the appropriations set forth in the ac-
companylng list we beg leave 70 submit the
following comments and conclusions:
Municipal expenses. - Municipal expenses
should be divided into two distinct and sepa-
rate heads. First, current expenses, compris-
Ing those expenditures necessary for the main
tenaree and conduct OF the City Government;
second, extraordinary expenses COMPRISING
those expenditures necessary for permanent
improvements. Under the head of current ex.
penses may be grouped salaries, supplies. re-
pairs, renewals, utilities, such as gas water
and electricity; educational matters. police
and IRE protection, public health, including
street sweeping, and cases of urgency
Current eXpenses.-The foregoing divisions
OF current expenses embrace all matters per-
tanning 10 the operation and maintenance OF
the City Government The expenditures neces-
sary for these current requirements of the City
should be paid out OF the yearly income of the
City arising from general taxation and reye.
nue. from other sources. These current ex.
penses of the CITY Government therefore form
a correct part OF the annual tax levy and we
believe sufficient appropriations to meet them
have been made in the table of expenditu res
herewith submitted
Extraordinary expenses-On the other hand
extraordinary expenses are for necessary pub
lie Improvements OF permanent nature
such as q new and perfected sewer system
nenis on large scale, ownership OF water,
gas, and electric light; telephone, telegraph
street railways and other public franchises
These valuable improvements and acqnisi
tions require large OUTLAWS of money. They
are naturally as much If not more beneficial
to posterity than to the present taxpayers oil
the City. They should not, therefore, be lev.
led wholly upon the taxpayers of to-day
These expenditures should be ex tended over a
number OF years, SO that the future may just
ly bear portion of the expense.
Bonding the City-The constitution OF Cal.
fornia provides for such permanent improve
ments by enabling the City TO issue bonds
covering a period of forty years. The new
charter OF San Francisco VIII furnish safe
method ana the necessary machinery for
carrying out these great public improvements
1t viii thus encourage the citizens and tax
payers OF the City TO vote for the early issu-
ance OF bonds for these purposes
Our estima les-The estimates herewith sub
mitted nave been fully and impartially ca /
Oulated. 1t is believed they are liberal and fair
estimates OF the limit OF expenditures in EACH
department. No doubt In many instances fur
Their reductions could be made without i'm.
pairing the public service. 1t will not be
necessary to take up each item separately, but
your committee deems it advisable to explain