The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-09-28
TO MANAGE The CITY'S MONEY
] Finance Commission Recommended by
City-AttOTney Meredith
TO THE CHARTER CHANGE COMMITTEE,
The Recommendation Iaporably Received
The Adjustment of Taxes the lnVes''
mcnt of the sinking Iund' and
other Important Questions.

Charter Changes held am extended mce'-
ing last night, and discussed number
Of changes of vital importance TO the
city. The most important probably was
the suggestion OF city Attorney Mereoi'n
that the finances Of the city hereafter DE
managed by a Finance Commission el'n-
or appointcd by the Mayor or elected by
the people, VINO shall simply apporion
the money 20 The various city depart
mepts. and have no say in the spending
OF the same.
This matter was discussed at great
length and the majority of the comml''ee
seemed 10 receive it with iaNDf
OTHER IMPORTANT MATTERS.
Other questions considered were lne
adjustment OF taxes. investment OF thc
sinking fund. abolition of The Board "l
puhiic Interest handling of huilding per
mits. special school taxes, ana other mat
tors of lesser import.
rho discussion was informal ana ior
The purpose 0f obtaining Information So
no action was taken great variety 'l
views were expressed, ana Inc lAte'i"b
was q most interesting one
The members of She committee present
ats O'Clock were Messrs. tsountrce tchalI-
mani HarrelsOn. Jones. Carter CAREER.
and Ryan city Attorney Meredilh ana
president Of the Common Council James
Caskio were also present.
Mr.. Caskie. upon request or inc cnali-
man. addressed the committee. ne re-
commended certain changes IN the chdI-
ter as Of vital importance
The charter now provide that tie SINK
Inc fund shall only De invested in b'ids
Of the city of Richmond. AIR. CacMe re-
commended that the charter Joe So amend
cd as 10 allow the funds TO bc invested
I'm Virginia state and United states BONDS
city bonds. ne said. were scarce ana much
money had to Doe idlc.
Mr.. Meredith called Mr. Caskios at
tcuuou to the fact chat a. resolution, Ie-
commended by the Retrcnchmcnt ana he-
form Committee looking Go that emo.
Mr. Caskio next recommended q change
{u the section requiring the presiding of
fccrs of both branches of The Council 10
sign all ordinances passed. " should p'
$50 changed he said, as 10 allow the per-
mancnt president pro tenn. Of eiihey
branch TO act i'm the absence of The regu-
Jar presiding officer
BOARD OF PUBLIC INTEREST.
MIR. Caskcs third suggestion was in
rcrard 10 fhe Board OF Public Interest,
which. ne said, should De given more
powcr or abolished altogether ,as She
object for which, 70 was created was
taken care Of by the Chamber of Com
mcrcc Mr. Caskie favored the entire
abolition OF The Board.
In regard 90 building permits. Mr. Cas-
lie recommended that an applications
go 20 the Chief of the Fire Department,
and from him 90 the Committee ON Fire
Department and that the action of that
committee Dee final. except in case OF ape
neal. when the Council should be appeal
a. TO.
After considerable discussion of the ad-
visibility OF adopting this suggestion.
Mr. Meredith brought to the attention of
the committee the recent case where
Stern Brothers a. Co., doing business
at the corner of Ninth and Main streets,
were fined $3.50 for ordinance violation.
IN this case. said MrMorcdith tho Police
Justice had issued am execution for the
amount. which the Cofendants resisted,
claiming that the Police Justice had 10
right 60 issue an execution.
In examining the charter, he said. ne
had found, that the city, I'm cases of this
kind, was simply empowered TO bring suit
and recover. Iie thought the charter
should be amended in this respect and tho
Police Justice empowered 10 issue exc
cutions
Mr. Meredith being asked by Chairman
Rountree If ne had amy other suggestions
to make. said that ne thought "a charge
should be made in ,hc Finance Commit
tee. There should De DE said. q Finance
Commission, elected by the Wholc city.
whose duty it should ho simply TO ap-
prOpriate money, and should have nothing
whatever TO do with the spending OF the
same.
Al present hc sold. the Finance Com
mittce was composed of members .of
other committees each one, naturally
being anxious TO secure money for his
own committee. Under the commission
plan AN this would Dee done away with.
MORE POWER FOR THE MAYOR.
Mr.. Casllic suggested that 1t would De
better probably 90 enlarge the powers OF
the Mayor and permit Linn 10 appoint a
Fnance Commission.
Mr.. Carter suggested That the Finance
Committee should be secured from The
Council. and that members OF that COM
mittce should not be permitted TO serve
on any other
Mr.. Meredith replied that this would
not do. The Finance Commission, he
said should have nothing whatever 90 do
with the spending o. The money appor-
toned by it.
"Thc Finance Commission" ne said,
"should bc composed of the best men iu
the toWn-thc best lnanciers They
should have no patronage 90 dispense.
The people would uc wei S0tlSllcO Win
q commission OF this kind"
Colonel Jones heartily endorsed the sug-
gestlon. lie declared that the present
committee old not have the time TO con-
slider financial matters of tho city as
they should.
Colonel Jones declared that IL certain
OF the pres snt laws of taxation were car-
ricd out number OF business men would
be driven from the city. il charges were
not made me said. the mercantile success
of the city would De retarded.
Tho discussion then driftc1 into the
matter OF taxation. which. Mr. Meredith
said. should bc SO regulated as 20 make
Richmond a great manufacturing centre,
which 80 had TO bc. or nothing
Tine theory heretofore" he saic
"scems 10 have been not how little taxes
could be lc,iod. but how much lie people
could stand
Mr. Harrelson said that by tho present
methods merchants were taxed about
three times ON what they possess.
Mr. Meredith said that in advocating a
Finance Committee. which might be app
pointed 10y the Mayor he ola not moan
~ put himself on record as iavorins other
commissons-such as park commissions,
ras commissions ana such
Commissions OF this character. nc said,
would mean patronage. ana naturally
those men would be- appointed who had
The strongost pun on election day.
QUESTION or PARTY