Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-29

charged with tho control OF the various
departments OF the city. and 70 question
and consult the responsible heads or
chief clerks OF the departments. and then
10 submit plan FOR the temporary re-
ducton or adjustment Of the salaries.
wages, and pay OF all kinds paid out OF
Ihc city treasury. having due regard TO
fairness, equity. and the customary rates
of pay for similar services, the said
plan TO be submitted before completion
OF the budget OF 1871. and in time 10 be
used IN the preparation OF It.
3. That all the various committees
and boards charged with the control OF
a dopartment-viz. Finance Streets
Lights. Water, Relief Of Poor, Grounds
and Buildings. Health, Markets, Gene
tcries. Improvement OF James River,
Fire Board. Police Board. School Board,
&c.-bc and are hereby instructed 10 re-
port al once 10 the Council. and not
later than 1897. what charges or re-
Cuctions. either temporary or permanent.
they can recommend for tho botterment,
and especially for the more economical
administration Of their respective de-
paiiments, and their reasons I'm fun Tor
continuing their present methods and
tho personnel OF their departments II
they deem this 90 be necessary.
T. That the Committee on Finance De-
and they are hereby instructed TO report
such an ordinance as they can recon-
mend fixing a special taK-rate OF - on the
hundred dollars OF oil taxable values, TO
be set apart for the maintenance OF the
public schools. the public parks and the
lighting OF the city by electric-hehts.
8. That special meetings Of each branch
Of the Council be called, not later than
ier. 10 consider these reports as a
whole
II would seem that n the Committee
on Retrenchment and Reform choose TO
urge the adoption Of these resolutions
they may thus unload upon the shoulders
of the Finance Committee further prose-
cution of the work.
Mr.. Hardwicke's suggestion as TO the
levylng Of a special tax, we must suppose
IS tentative morely-that IS 20 say
We imacine that he would not think OF
such a thing. 81 it were possible TO do with
out II. As the chairman Of 'the Finance
Committee. he IS. Of course. aware that
real estate here is assessed at n very
HIGH figure. The Census Office reports that
the real property in Richmond IS as
s,ssed at about IS per cent OF its true
value.
Now. # we assess at 9S per cent. ot
value. and other cities Of this Common
wealth assess at G6 per cent Of value. the
result is that we pay into the state Urea
sury more than our fair proportion OF
the taxes levied upon real estate by the
State. But for this important fact 1t
would not matter whether city assess
morts were high and, the city tax-rate
low. or whether the city rate were high
and the assessments were low
But the long and short OF IL all Is that
our people would not willingly have city
taxes raised for any purpose; certainly
not while the real estate market Is as
much depressed as It IS now. And hence
We say that Mr. Hardwicke's suggestion
on this point We consider tentative
merely.
The trouble with which the present
CITY Council is confronted Is not Of Its
own making. 1t is an Inheritance from
many former councils. 1t IS the result
Of a system, or want Of system, which
has been pursued here for many years.
Furthermore. we must say that Rich
mond now has q very good Council In
deed, and We /have faith mat it VIII prove
equal 10 the task now before It. difficult
and disagreeable as that task is.