The record-union., 1896-05-22


| was forced to accept the position unless
he chose, and plenty of good ones will
| accept it without salary. The School
| Directors serve without salary, and 1T
| is considered that better men are chosen
for that reason than If they were paid.
It is dangerous to leave a loophole for
the Board of Trustees to fix salary.
DR.. Strader retorted that it was gen.
| orally understood that the School
| Directors were chosen to help their
friends or to help themselves. The
Chamber of Commerce had been men
| toned, but those composing it are work
! ing to increase the value of their prop
erty, and make no secret of their OBJ
| ject.
The report of the committee, includ-
| ing the amendment discussed, was
| adopted.
The report on the powers Of the Mayor
was then taken up, that part of it rec
ommending that the provision requir-
ing the confirmation by the Board of
Trustees Of the Mayors appointments
/ having been adopted, but reconsidered
at a subsequent meeting.
| AS it was near the hour of adjourn
ment, however, Messrs. Miller and
Waring suggested that the question go
over till another meeting. 1t was so
| or dered.
DR.. Strader suggested that as we
have a National and a State cam
paign approaching, it would be well to
take up in July the Constitution of the
State or the United States and discuss
them until fall, and then go back to
the city charter.
Mr. Weinstock said that the question
Of the Mayors powers was a very i'm
portant one, and there should be full
meeting to discuss it.
Mr.. Avery, for the Committee on As
SCISSOR, said the committee thought there
was no use Of having City and County
Assessors to follow one another in as
sessing the residents of the city, but
| that the work could be done by the
County Assessor and his deputies. He
| had found that the law had been
amended by the last Legislature so as
to allow it to be done. The committee
| therefore recommended to strike out
from the title Auditor and Assessor"
the last two words and provide for pay
ing extra deputies for the County AS
| SCISSOR.
Mr.. Weinstock said the subject had
been debated in the Board of Freehold
ers, but it was found that Sacramento
City was peculiarly situated, and such
action would not do.
He gave an account of the reverses
Of the city in early days, which resulted
in the heavy issue Of bonds which has
been an incubus on the city, for which
so small a part of their face value was
| re0aiUp6 h4ah n
interest and it's creditors secured a de-
cree Of court setting aside 55 per cent.
of 1 per cent. of it's taxes to meet the
bonds. In order not to make the bur-
den Of this unbearable, the city assess
ment is made lower than the county
rate. The Board of Freeholders there
fore decided not to abolish the office of
City Assessor, but to economize tackled
IT. on to the office Of Auditor
Mr. Ekins said the committee appre-
ciated the informatio given by Mr..
Weinstock. He thought it would prob
ably be better, however, to raise the
assessment and wipe out the debt more
quickly.
Mr.. Weinstock said that such a course
would be apt to frighten away intend
ing investors, as the tax is high now.
Rev. Mr.. Hoyt said he thought it
would simplify matters if the County
Assessor could follow out the plan of
the City Assessor, and Mr.. Weinstock
said he could not, as the County AS
SCISSOR Is under the authority of the
State Board of Equalization, which
would Immediately raise the county s
assessment.
DR.. Strader there We're several neces-
sary expenses that must be met soon
| a sewerage system, a clear water sys-
tenn, new schoolhouses and City Hall,
and this must be taken into considera-
tion.
0. Williams thought it would be poor
economy to do away with an officer
who was doing so much for the city in
regulating the tax