The San Francisco call., 1896-10-26
FACTS FOR TAXPAYERS,
A Commentary on the Proposed
New Charter by J. Rich
ard Freud.
He Argues to Show the Financial
Benefits to Be Derived From
the Instrument

The following document descanting on
the benefit of the proposed new charter
has just been issued by the Citizens Char
ter Association:
During the past forty years under the pres
ent consolidation act governing San Francisco
the City Government has expended 1926, ,O0O,.
OO0 During that period $34, ,000, 900 has been
spent upon the streets and sewers OF this City
The expenditures of the City Government for
tne fiscal year ending June 80, 1896, amounted
to $6,577 ,24S As. The appropriations OF the
City Government planned for the present fis.
cal year will reach nearly $7,000,000. This
is 81 900 600 more than it costs to conduct
and maintain the Government or the State oil
California tor the same period.
What is the cause of this disastrous failure
OF one of the vital functions of our City Gov
eminent? To any one who will study the
method: of finance and revenue provided In
the consolidation act now governing San Fran
cisco the answer will readily and clearly ap-
pear. Instead of protecting the taxpayers of
the CITY the present instrument of govern
ment affords every facility for robbing the
people.
The present consolidation act allows tax
for ordinary municipal purposes OF SO 35 and
the limit may be stretched as hf!h as So on
the 800 valuation. Exorbitant as was the
81 5612 rate last year, it is only eeler cf
what Inc tax-eaters may accomplish under the
present misgovernment of the City. This is a
serious defect in the financial system of the
municipal government There is, however,
another defect of still greater magnitude.
The consolidation act provides for general
fund and permits the Board OF Supervisors to
order demands Tor one purpose to be paid out
of the moneys raised for an entirely different
purpose. Tie result is that most demands are
paid promiscuously out OF the general fund,
and deficit often app ears at the end of the
fiscal year. This diversion and perversion of
the City's funds lead TO confusion and ire
sponsibility.
These plain facts, taken from the financial
tai
pality, emphasizes most strongly the necessity
of the new charter. What are The two salient
features of the article on finance and revenue
in the new charter that will prove complete
protection to the taxpayers OF this City?
First, the new charter positively limits the
City tax to 81 or on the 500 of the Assessors
the last fiscal year, the taxpayers of san
Francisco would have saved 81, ,532, 800. Dur
ing the present fiscal year 1T would have saved
the City $305.0 900. That provision alone In
the new Charter, therefore, would save the
81 SOY 800. e'''' - '"o years
Second, the new charter will abolish totally
the iniquitous general fund and establish in
stead twenty-four specific funds. Each of these
twenty-four funds is kept separate and dis
tinct. All revenue is divided and assigned to
one OF these specihc funds. No money can be
transferred from one fund to another. and,
therefore, there can be no divers on OF funds
Among all the objections that havo been
raised to the new Charter not single one has
DCCh HAooc os ouS part Ol the hrllcIe on
finance and revenue. The present pernicious
system OF finance is not only burden to the
taxpayers, but is calamity to the entire
City. 1t discourages enterprise and improve
ment and thus curtails opportunities for
labor. The workingmaD is interested in low
taxes as much as the capitalist The new
charter will relieve the people OF this commun-
ity of unnecessary burdens. II will awak en-
and nourish spirit OF progress and prosper
ity, and should, therefore, have the hearty
support ana vote of every intelligent citizen in
the community. J. RICHARD FREUD.
Secretary Citizens Charter Association.
San Francisco Oct. 3D. 1896.