The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-01-30
CITY FATHERS
LEVY The TAX
Six Mills viii Be the Assessment for
the Coming Year.
SWEEPING REDUCTIONS MADE
All the Salaries Of che CITY officials Re
duced Twenty Per Cent. as Are
other Appropriations


council was the most important held by
that body for n long time past Tbs
question u tax levy for the ensuing
year was decided. and large reduc'
ton In the levy and running expenses
Of the city WAS made quite number
of tax payers were present, but left In
apparent disgust when II scrned likely
that no reduction would BE- made.
The committee on ways and means
| preucntcd an estimate OF the receipts
and expenditures for the coming year.
The estimate 81 expenditures Rggrcgat-
od G5s.tis The estimated receipts
amounted 10 ttO.7a2 from the following
sources;
Cash on hand. i5.ss2. liquor licenses.
~. 600. other liocnrcs. i3.IO0; hness. etc.
police court. $500; and $3.50 which can
be collected from the county on the
road levy within the city limits. MAX
Ing n total Of siO.972 IL addition TO
this thcrc is t2,7Os probably due the
city on the 1896 road tax. but. as there
IL considerable doubt whether or not
this amount can be- collected. II was
desancd expedien, 10 no, count on g.
Included In the eytimatc OF appro-
priations az made by the committee are
three items which could not be reduced.
These are the city cemetery appropri-
ation of 1880. interest on the bonded
Indebtedness. 1910: interest on war
rants, t6i10-a total Of nS,37o. When
the blank Appropriation ordinance "a
measure without the amount OF the
estimated eSpendhures) came up there
waa q squabblc between Messsrs Welch
and McGrcgor and Parker Us to where
the reductions should be made. Finally
after q great deal OF discussion. Il WAS
decided TO insert the recommendations
~ the oommittee whcn this had been
don, WEIGH moved that all Items be re-
duossi 20 per cent. except those three
items which could not be reduced, The
motion prevailed. Thts reduction ar
r,.otcd t4O.07S of the estimated expense.
leaving the total estimated expendl-
tures at $50. 49,. ia reduction OF S.
Oi66O. As stated above, the revenue.
exclusive Of the tax levy, In $40. 7e2.
which left 81, 400 40 10 be raised.
The total amount OF taxable property
In the city Is s2,ii2,9sI and, on motion
Of wcich. seconded by Parker. levy
OF six mills for uhe coming year was
imposed This brings a revenue from
real and pcrsonal property Of 81. .673.7s.
which, added 10 the estimated revenue
from other sources Of N0.972 makes n
total revenue Of s5S6I5,76 Thus. the
excess OF estimated receipts over the
estimated expenditures Is s3,2l3S6--a
condition which has brought happiness
To the hearts az the counci,men. The
interest ON warrants will not require
the amount appropriated. so the excess
will bc swelled somewhat. The measure
was passed last night by suspension OF
the rules. Brix, Schiebe and Siverson
voted against the assessment OF six
mills, all favoring a higher levy.
Schiebe voted against the 20 per cent
reduction OF all appropriations.
While a balance over the running ex-
penses of the city Is very desirable
condition. many are Of the opinion that
the fire department and police appro-
prtathons should not have been reduced.
or course. Il is impossible to state
the amount of fines and forfeitures in
the police court for the coming year.
but Il is reasonable TO suppose. all
things considercd that the revenue de-
rived from this source will be less the
coming year than the past year, How
ever, this remains TO be seen.
From the estimate OF receipts II will
BE- seen that tine saloons pay more than
one third OF the running expenses OF
the city
The several appropriations as recon-
mended by the committee and reduced
by the council. follow: