The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-01
SELECT COUNCIL MEETING.
Considerable Amount of Business
Was Quietly Transacted.

Considerable Amount of Business
Was Quietly Transacted.
In select council the session was as
loving as the common session was tur-
bu!ent.
City Solicitor McGinley's opinion up
holding the tax levy suggested by the
city controller was read, The opinion
had been requested after a long de-
bate during the preceding meeting,
the members then being divided as to
whether 1t would be legal to acquire a
surplus of 100000 beyond the estimated
expenditures for 1893. The levy is
based on the 1897 valuation of S20,S77,-
103, although the estimated assessment
for the current year Is S23,O00.000, thus
indicating a surplus revenue Of $780,
| 0G0.
Following is City Solicitor McGin-
| ley's opinion:
In the matter of tax rate for the ensu-
ing fiscal year, would say tina: section /,
| ordinance of February T. 1884, provides
! that "the city controller shall annually,
! on or before the first Monday in January,
| furnish the councils with a detailed
| statement of the estimated receipts from
| all sources; and in estimating the income
| from the taxation of real and personal
| assessment of property in the city,"
| The municipal act of 1889. article g. Sec
| tion 10, declares that 1.-The several de-
| partments of the city government shall,
| before the commencement of the fiscal
| year, present to councils an estimate of
| the probable receipts and expenditures
| and of the amount required by each of
said departments for the public service
| during the ensuing year, and councils
| shall then proceed to make the annual
| appropriations thereto. - When all
appropriations for the expenditures for
| the ensuing year shall be finally made,
the councils shall fix the tax rate at such
| figure as with all sources of revenue will
| fully meet and cover the aggregate
amount of such appropriations; and no
| appropriation shall be made for any pur-
| pose in excess of the estimated receipts
for the current fiscal year."
DEFICIENCY DEDUCTED.
The aforementioned ordinance also
states that 'if the actual receipts during
| the year shall exceed such estimate, then
such excess shall be carried over to and
included in the estimate of receipts for
| the following year, and in like manner if
| the amount received is less than such es-
| innate, then the deficiency shall be de-
| Quoted from the estimated receipts of the
| following year; 1t being the true intent
|
| limit the annual expenditures to the
| amount of the annual receipts, and pre-
| vent the incurrinS of additional floating
| debt"
In view of the above requirements the
proper course to pursue in fixing the tax
rate Is to base the calculation upon the
estimate furnished by the controller. The
only official knowledge councils have of
| the assessed valuation OF city property
| for taxing purposes is contained in the
| controllers communication declaring 1t to
| be S20.S77 10000. Unofficial statements
that the assessment for the current year
may exceed $23000,000 are not of such a
character as will warrant councils an ac-
| cepting that amount as the basis for fix
ing the tax rate. The proper officials are
now engaged in preparing the assessment
for 1898, and will continue so to be for
| several weeks; and any rate based upon
the probable result of the current assess
ment would necessarily be of a specula-
tive nature and, in my opinion, would be
prejudicial to the validity of the ordi-
nance.
| ! would therefore respectfully suggest
that the valuation presented in the con-
trollers communication to councils be ac-
cepted as the basis for fixing the tax rate
for the ensuing year.
The ordinance was then passed on
|
ident Sanderson had withdrawn his
amendment, presented Tuesday eve-
ming, to reduce the levy nine-tenths
OF a mill.
The following common council min
or ordinances passed third reading:
Providing for three additional electric
lights in the First ward and two in the
Thirteenth ward; providing for fire
alarm box at the corner of Rockwell
and Gilbert streets; providing for side
walks on Washburn street between
Main avenue and Tenth streets; pro-
vidlng for the transfer of s117.52 for the
repair Of the Columbia hose cart
THORNTON FAILURE.
An opinion from City Solicitor Nc
Ginley was read concerning the failure
of Thornton & Co., contractors, TO An
ish building the Farber court sewer
The opinion suggested, in view Of the
apparent abandonment by the contrac-
tors, that the latter's bondsmen, Johr
]. Fahey and James ]. Flynn, be per.
mitted to finish the work under the di.
rection of the city engineer. A reso.
luton in line with the suggestion was
introduced by Mr. Roche and adopted
and sent over TO the common council
where it was concurred in.
A resolution by Mr.. Frable was
adopted granting permission to prop.
erty owners on Fittston avenue, be,
tween Alder and Beech streets, to built
n pipe drain at their own expense, tn,
drain not TO be used as a sewer. Il
was later approved by the lower
branch.