Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-06
WORRYING AVIAN ON THE CHARTER.
Small Attendance, at the Meeting of
The Nm nssIl Innt InIifcr.

Small Attendance, ut the Meeting OF
the Council Committee.
The city council charter amendment COM
mittee held another meeting of a couple of
hours duration yesteniay afternoon in the
council chamber The smallest crowd that
has yet attended the meetings was on hand.
II comprised Counuilmen Taylor Saunders,
Allan and Hascall Semtor-elect Ed Howell,
Representatives elect Cox of South Omaha
and John Butler. DR.. Savile City Attorney
Connell and John Steele.
The problem regarding repaving was
brought up first by Hascall who offered
an amendment giving the city council the
power to order streets repaved without a
petition from property owners, and provid-
ing that in such cases the city should pay
one-fifth Of the cost. the remainder 10 be
assessed against the property in the district.
At present repavng can be done only on
petition of the owners of property abutting
on the street and the entire cost is assessed
upon the district in which the street Is
located The amendment failed of adoption.
The tax levy and its distribution among
the various city departments was left to
committee consisting of the city attorney
and Councilman Wheeler after some discus
Sion The same action was taken on an
amendment proposed by Hascall providing
that the limit to the sinking fund levy
should be taken away. The present charter
provides that the sinking fund for the pay
ment of bonded Indebtedness and interest
should consist of l per cent of the levy.
Hascall and Wheeler maintained that the
amount accruing from this apportionment
was insufficient to meet the demands,
thereby impairng the credit of the city.
Connell opposed the amendment because he
said 1t would raise 'howl" from taxpayers.
While the matter of taxes was up City
Attorney Connell advanced an amendment
to the state revenue law, authorizing the
city to assess taxes against the property of
railroads and other corporations within the
city limits for municipal purposes. This
assessment by the city is to be taken out
of the assessment levied against railroad
property by the state. The city attorney
maintained that inasmuch as the railroads
and other similar corporations enjoy the
police and fire protection and improvements
OF the city, 1t was only justice that the city
should tax them. The city attorney will
draw up an amendment embodying this.
An amendment changing the rate of in
terest on delinquent taxes from IL to 10 per
cent year, payable monthly in advance,
adopted.
In this connection City Attorney Connell
presented an amendment, which provided
that delinquent taxes should constitute a
permanent lien upon personal property from
the date the tax was levied, the lien to be
prior to any mortgage or sale entered into
thereafter unless in the ordinary course of
trade; and further that the city treasurer
should be authorized to attach such prop
'''J "hch hN idu ltdSOl " DtIlSNe lndJ any
attempt was being made to avoid the tax
This amendment was practically adopted
and is to be drawn up by the city attorney.
A motion to adjourn was sprung but Has
call interjected the Board of Public Works
matter He desired that an amendment be
passed abolishing the body and vesting it's
power in board consisting OF the mayor,
the president of the council and the city
engineer. This failed to meet the approval
of Howells, whose scheme provided for a
board OF the heads of the seven depart
ments OF the city. 1t was finally decided to
lay the matter over until next Monday
night at 1880 o'clock, when it is to be the
order or business.