The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-03

At tonight's session of the Common
Council there will be presented a unani-
nous report from the joint standing com
mittee on finance recommending that the
tax rate for the city of Providence for
the ensuing year be fixed at 81. 7S on.eyely
500 worth of real and personal property.
Ihis is an increase of 13 cents over the
present rate OF 81. 90 or an increase of Is
cents over the rate existing before the
administration OF reform ana economy
went into city hall on the strength Of "A
pledge To decrease the debt and reduce the
tax rate
The report in support Of this recommen-
dation will review the financial history of
the city for the last two years and deplore
the necessity which has arisen from time
to time during the reform administra
tion" OF adding To the city debt. It Will
also refer 10 the Increase OF taxes year
ago and present statistics to show that the
increase was not large enough. And in
support of the still higher rate now pro
posed it will be intimatod that with the
increased income from taxation there will
be no further necessity of going to the
General Assembly for authority 10 hire
money.
The Legal Limit Reached.
Last year the $l.65 on each 500 was
divided as follows: For ordinary eX-
penses 30; for interest and sinking fund,
81; for the city's portion of the state
tax, .iS
The 81. rs if adopted would be divided as
follows For ordinary expenses, 81; for
interest and sinking fund, go; for the
city's portion of the state tax, is.
Ii is interesting to note that in setting
aside 81 on every 500 for the running
expenses of the city that the limit pre-
scribed by law Is reached for according to
section %, chapter 81 of the General Laws
of Rhode Island, "No town shall assess
It's ratable property in any one year in
excess of one per centum Of its ratablc
value, except for the purpose of paying
the Indebtedness of such town or the in
terest thereon, or for appropriations To
any of the sinking funds, or for extraor-
dinary repairs for damages caused by the
elements; but assessments for specific
benefits conferred by the opening or inn
proving of any public highway, or for any
public sewer, shall not be taken to be
within the provisions of this section.
The Valuation.
The total valuation O. the real and per
sonal property today that is assessable is
STA 232, 500. The income from this at
the rate of Sl.7s on the sl00 would be
81, 10l, 33S. 30, which would be divided up
as follows: For ordinary expenses, 81, 742
325; for interest and sinking fund, 81, 0l5
395; for state tax, 1913, $3.50.
An Absurd System.
These figures, however, are. based on
the last valuation officially announced,
that of 1885, BY an absurd cart -before-the
horse method the rate of taxation Is de-
termined by ordinance before the exact
valuation upon which 1t is to be assessed
is known.
The income from taxation by the last
rate 81. 90, was s., S74, $780, 20 or s226, 502 %
less than is now proposed To that figure
there is to be added the receipts from
other resources which by the last state
ment amounted to s726 525.
What this additional income will
amount to in the future depends some
what on the decision of the board OF
arbitration which is to determined what
rate of special tax the Union Railroad
Company shall pay on its gross earnings
To tie city for the next five years en-.
suing July /, 1891
The Bill for the Ordinance.
Chairman Sturges of the finance com
mittee will present the report tonight and
IL will be accompanied by the following
bill for an ordinance with recommonda-
tion Of passage:
1T is ordained by the City Council or
the city of Providence, rs follows:
"Scction |. The City Council hereby
orders the assessment and collection OF a
tax on real and personal estate of sl.7e
on each 800 of the value thereof; the said
assessment comprises the following; For
ordinary expenses, III on each 500; foT
interest and sinking funds, 90 cents on
each 500; for the city's proportion OF 1.-THE
state tax for tho year 1897 which'is hereby
assumed, Is cents on each SlOO
Section 2. The board OF assessors shall
assess and apportion said tax on the in
habitants and ratable property In said
city, on the first day of July 1897, A. ID.
according To law, and conformably To the
rules and regulations of the City Council
and shall certify and deliver TO the city
treasurer said assessment Oh the frst day
of September, 1897, A. d.
Section 3. Said tax shall be paid "a
ana collected by the city treasurer on and
between the first and twenty days OF
October 1897, a. d., inclusive
''Section T. The city treasurer shall by
advertisements i'm public newspapers OF
| the city notify all persons assessed To pay
| their respective taxes at his Office on aud
between the said first and twenty-iirst
| days of October. lSH Inclusive; said
| treasurer shall attend daily during said
| period, Sundays excepted, at his Office
| from y o'clock a. m, To O'Clock p. M,
| 10 receive said taxes, except SatufuuN :,
| when he shall attend from . o'clock a. IN.
| Co 3 o'clock p. IN.
section 3. All persons who shall not
bay their respective taxes during the pc
riod aforesaid shall pay respectively I'm ad-
| diton thereto a percentage thereon at The
| rate Of eight per centum per annum
| from tho said first day Of October. "
twill Be Amended.
The committee ON finance I'm making
J this recommendation will be asking foi