Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-10
MUNICIPAL ECONOMY. d

10 reduce its rate OF taxation from Sl.oo
20 $l2j on the 500, which will result III
a loss OF revenue to the amount Of SlioV.o'
This loss. It Is expected. Will be met by
reductions In the expenses OF the munich
pal government. That this may be easily
done Is generally believed there, ana
on this subject Mayor Collier, in his IN
augural message. says:
There are quite a number OF items or
expenditure which are I'm the nature OF
fixed charges and must be provided Tor AT
al hazards, but ! am firmly OF the OPINION
hat there Is hardly department
OF the government which cannot be al
ministered at It's present degree or EN-
cheney at very considerable Teduclloh
OF expenses Apply TO these departments
the same rule which. as prudent business
men. you apply to your own affairs, ana
/ am sure you will find opportunities TO
save to the taxpayers money which can
be more advantageously expended lot
the general good IN other directions. IN
times Of profound business depression
such as we are now passing through. the
prudent merchant the successful manu-
facturer and the prosperous corporation
recognize tho importance and necessity
OF curtailment OF expenses along the
line OF their operations and they are
quick to take action 10 effect this result
The reasons for such action are equally
II not more potent, in the case OF the
administration OF affairs In municipal
government whose main revenue Is de-
rived from taxes drawn from people
already burdened 10 the limit OF endu-
rance"
At SIPS Atlantas tax rate would be
very much lower than Richmonds and
we dare say that the assessments there
are lower than they are here. In Rich
mona. real estate IS assessed at very
high figure. so that we bear an Unduly
large share Of State taxation. Here the as
sessed values are So per cent. of the
true values-a very high percentage. in
deed.
We do not know how Atlanta will man
age to reduce her expenses. We, here in
Richmond, find it very difficult thing
to do. The only tangible project 50 10
speak, is that which comes from the
Council Committee on Retrenchment and
Reform, and which has passed both
branches Of the City Council but has
been vetoed by the Mayor. But the Com
mon Council, by q unanimous vote, has
said that the Mayors reasons for Veto
ing this measure Of economy are not
sufficient. Now the Board OF Aldermen
has to act. The Board may, or may not
sustain the Mayor.
If the Board does sustain the Mayor 1t
should lay before the public the scheme
Of retrenchment that It thinks preferable
to the one which has been vetoed. 1t
will not do for the Board to take the
position that there is a better way TO
effect the needful economies and yet re-
fuse to disclose that way. II the Board
has a wiser plan than that row under
discussion. 1t is due 10 the public that
the Board should make II known. Yes;
let US have II in detail-at least in such
detail as will enable our taxpayers to
compare 1t with the committees plan.
The committees plan is not perfect
No one has ever pretended that 1t was,
but so far it is the only plan seriously
proposed. Injustice is done the com
mittee by some who suppose that the
committee means to stop work where II
IS now. 1t has no such purpose, If its
work relating to the Street and Gas de-
partments be enacted into law, it will
90 through each other department and
see what more can be saved the city.
The Dispatch would again urge the
Democratic members of the Board Of
Aldermen 10 consider well before they
Kill off this movement in favor of re-
trenchment and reform We DO not
argue that they should follow the Com
mittee on Retrenchment blindly, but we
do think that the Board ought either 10
follow the committee or propose a sub
stitute for the committees report, which
will show the public that the Board un-
derstands this question and offers 10
deal with it better than the committee
has done.
The insistence Of our people IS for the
exercise of greater economy in our city
government. They do not wish their
taxes raised They DO not wish to issue
any more bonds, except for permanent
improvements. They do not wish to be
forever struggling with a floating debt
And they do not wish any one to have as
an excuse for supporting reform move
ment" that the Democratic party could
have met the demands of the taxpayers
h1t positivelv refused to do so.