The San Francisco call., 1898-09-16
FIXED THE
 TAX LEVY
 AT S121 The Result Surprises Every One. LITTLE FOR LAKE MERRITT DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES SUE FER HEAVILY. A Remarkable Document Which Will Raise Sufficient Revenue But Complicate Its Distri-
 button.
DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES SUE
 FER HEAVILY.

OAKLAND, Sept. 15.-The City Council passed to print this evening an ordinance fixing the tax levy at S1 q. The ordinance was great surprise to everybody except the eight members of the Council who had assisted to frame it. It is a remark able document in that while it ostensibly incorporates sS0000 for the improvement of Lake Merritt, it provides in reality for but SIP 900 for the work.
 The levy adds s67 ,O00 to the Auditors estimates, and he had cut $1S2.000. This would raise the levy from $l 27 of the Auditor to s1 F, but by cutting heavily in all directions the levy was brought to $1 21 by cutting nearly s100,00O from the department estimates.
 The levy as it is made will not provide sufficient money to pay the salaries and contracts already entered into under the law in June last, and Auditor Snow says that the money raised for the lake will be claimed by creditors, and the law will give 1t to them. The levy of $1 21 is made up of the following: Maintenance, Is cents; sewers. [ cents; bond fund, r cents; Lake Merritt 19 cents. Auditor Snow says that the revenue that the levy will raise will leave a large deficit. He says the cents for sewers cannot be said to be for maintenance, and that the city's creditors will go before the courts and claim that as the law allows a dollar levy independent of the bond fund they are entitled to all the revenue up to that limit The Auditor says that the courts will undoubtedly so rule. As the levy, independent of the lake fund, is but $1.02, only the cents will be left for the lake, and this amount is about $l2,0O0.
 the various funds: General, from s26,000 to $21 .00O salary, from s36, 600 to S29 GOO; fire, from S0,O 900 to s5S 900; police, from S62 900 to s56,O0O; street from $56,OoO to s46,- cll from n park, from s7ooO to s4ooo;. fire and police alarm, from $7OO0 to s4000 High School, from $44 900 to S25 900; school, from s2l,0O to $13000; Free Library, s19,000 to $SOO0 street lights, from $72,000 to s63 900; park and boulevard, from s42, GOO to sS0,000 The grammar schools cost about $500 900 per annum, but the bulk of the money comes from the State. The High school how ever, has no other income, and the result of the cut will be to close the school part of the year.
 The levy is much smaller than it ap- pears Last year 1t was s5 cents for GOO 900. This year it is but 7S cents on an assessment of $42000,000. and Auditor Snow says that the difference in income will be sT0.000, which will be severely felt, as three months of the fiscal year have already gone, during which all the departments have been run on the ex- comes than are allotted to them The levy will raise sufficient revenue, but the Auditor predicts much difficulty over the distribution of it.
 days and then be finally passed It has then to be signed by the Mayor The levy as contemplated closely resembles that of Mayor Davis the result of which was to close the schools for a part of the year and to cause other inconveniences Should Auditor Shows view of the dollar limit be supported by the courts the Lake Merritt matter will present a peculiar complication.