The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-03
OPPOSED
TO A HIGH
TAX LEVY
Devany-Haskins Schedule
Does Not Meet With
Favor.
EXCEEDS THE PLEDGE THEY GAVE.
Several Supervisors Will Not
Vote for It Under Any
Circumstances.
MAYOR PHELM WILL VETO IT.
Supervisor Rottanzi's shelved sched-
ule-Prooeedings of Yesterdays
Session of the Board.

Supervisors Devany and Haskins are
getting what is called in sporting circles
'cold feet' on their proposition to har-
ness 81 20 tax levy On this City. When
they went ahead with their planning
without having consulted Chairman Rot
tamil of the Finance Com mittee they did
not foresee the howl that would 60 up
from all quarters.
Supervisor Rottanzi had schedule that
came within the pledge on which the
three members of the committee were
elected, but he was given no voice in the
report that was prepared by the Super
visors from the First and Second.
The question with Devany and Haskins
was net to keep within their pledge but
to make rate that would produce plenty
of patronage and at the same time could
be forced down the Threats of the people.
Yesterday they began to realize the d is
turbaEce the rate would cause and to
hedge" Devsny declared that the re-
port OF. the committee was not final, but
was merely put forward as; feeler to
gage the feeling of the people. He said
that the report was made public to give
the taxpayers chance to object if they
so desired.
There are those in the board, however,
who understand the motive that prompted
the Devany-Haskins com bination to pro-
pose a rate exceeding 50. They believe
that certain departments that have been
getting large appropriations will return
| the favor by listening 10 the wishes OF the
two Supervisors when i: comes to making
the appointments of new employees.
/ 1t Will not be all plain sailing, however,
| for number of Supervisors have declared
that they will not stand for the proposed
|. rate and that it must be scaled down sew
! erai hundred thousand dollars before they
| Will vote for it. Here are some of the
expressions OF opinion Of other Super
! visors:
| John Lackmann-The tax rate proposed by
| Supervisors Devany ana Haskins is altogether
] too high. 1t is unreasonable and altoge Their
exceeds the pledge under which they were
| elected. The item of S400. 600 for the Mission
! park and that of 100000 for paving Market
/ street should not have been put in. shall
vote for no such levy.
J. Z. Britt thinK the levy is a trifle high.
l an not in favor OF spending 100000 Tor q
Mission park, but would rather see IL put in
some more needed. improvement | think
| some of the items will have TO be cut down
before the schedule is satisfactory to the board.
+ Supervisor Smith, won't stand IL. The
| amount that is proposed TO be raised under
! this schedule goes 5000, 200 to 500, 600 over
| the amount l was pledged TO raise and 1t must
| be reduced before l vote Tor il.
| Washington Dodge-Of course 1 shall not
| vote for any such tax levy. The government
| of this City could be run for far less money,
| and it is simply a question of dong what Is
| necessary and not wnat Is demanded from
every hand. have not made up any sched-
| ule, but believe that supervisor RottanZi has
! and that his figures are far nearer being what
is right than those proposed by Supervisors
Deyaney and Haskins
! Supervisor Rivers-I believe in letting the
people say what they want. 1t may be that
! the proposed levy is a little nigh, but believe
| there W i'll be howl if Improvements are cut
/ off and l believe matters should be allowed 10
stand pretty much as they are. We shall learn
| through the public press what the people most
| desire, and the levy can be changed If neces-
! sary TO conform 10 the will OF the majority.
! Thomas Morton-I have just returned to the
| City and saw the proposed levy, but did not
/ have time to even scan It's contents, conse-
| quently am not in a position TO express my
| views upon its merits. AS near as | can recol-
! lect the pledge of the Republican platform
| upon which L was elected allows greater
by, L think, $3.50, 900. In the meantime will
! comply with the conditions of that pledge as
near as Lean by allowing sufficient funds to
! run the municipal government on q business
| and economical basis.
John H. Sheehan-I did not have time to
| even read the headlines OF the proposed levy.
just got into the City in time to be present at
| the meeting OF the board, and, as a conse-
] quence you must excuse me from giving my
! opinion on the subject But l will say how
ever, thatI viii live up to the pledge OF the
| Democratic party as near as can.
| Supervisor P. NJ. Delauy-I will be in favor
OF voting for sufficient funds to have the City
! government run it should be, yet favor
| economy in every branch. would rather not
! express an opinion just yet on the proposed
! levy.
Supervisor Charles A. Clinton-I am pledged
! to the people who voted for me, and for that
matter to every man, woman and child in TINS
! City 10 keep TO the tax levy of 81 on the 500.
| OF course that pledge was based on condl-
| tons which have changed. The Legislature
| burdens
! cessors did not have. Those predecessors left
a deficit which we have to meet New emer-
! gencies have arisen which we are also called
| on 10 meet. Yet the obligation remains to
keep the spirit OF the pledge
! Supervisor Rottanzi said that he had
| pledged himself to stick to ST. limit and
| that he intended to do SD ii such thing
was possible
81 have prepared schedule" ha said,
"that will produce S., 459 918, and in order
| TO do so have cut down al apartments to
| the last minute, but l believe In keeping
| pledges.
Il have given this question hours of
consideration and careful thought. / am
| reluctantly compelled TO clip from several
| appropriations sums that | would cheer
| fully add instead of deducting. Notably
| is this the case with the School D epart-
ment. The appropriation is inadequate
to meet the requirements of the depart
ment, but i could not heip it..
| So it would appear that the Devany-
Hsskns outtit will have opposition that
may make it difficult 20 get their extraor-
binary schedule through the board. And
hen, if all else fails, there is Mayor
Phelan, who has gone on record as totally
opposed 10 any such rate and ready to
fight il.
The com bin alton, in order to head off
expected opposition in this direction, has
asked the City and County Attorney to
render an opinion as to the constitution
atty of the act that gives the Mayor power
to veto tax levy. Should Mr.. CreswelIs
opinion be that the act is sound then the
com bination will fail in its purpose, for
veto IS practically certain, and only eight
votes one less than is needed to pass
measure over a veto-can be counted on.
On the other hand, should the City and
Tountr Attorney declare thu law invalid