The San Francisco call., 1898-03-24
4 GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE Their Desires Should Rule, Not Those of Of-
 ficials.
Merchants Exchange Hears More Reasons for Con-
 solidation.
A,.n,eda Nav Be Left out if They Refuse an Opportunity to
 Come In.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
 ooo RroadMa March 22


 Direotor T K w. Sohst of the Mer- chants Exchange made lengthy report at the regular meeting last evening upon the committees work looking to con- solidation of the city and county gov ernments. His principal points are given herewith:
 Your committee can report that nine out of ten of the property-owners Se iarof M COL solidaton, and we are apPLLoaoieWd W on on every e, side with such remarks as Keep IL up, ana We wish success to the movement; ar no! oniy by Oakland people, but also froiii berheiey' Alameda and Piedmont people .a.s |.
 What the people of opnen n avdS of a consolidated city and county government why there cannot be law enacted at our next Legislature to give them chance to vote on 1t.
 Tn this vour committee concurs fully if we take it for granted that this IS stlll govern nne for the h Pe1phe h ocas of the officials by the officials Of this latter class we are happy to say there is only ys sa baf minority. nc accomplish our aim. This, if sifted down. is The Boasi of Trade and Merchants Ex- change. as business men, have done and are of our attorneys to come to the front and give advice and act as pilot in order to steer this ship up to and through the Legislature, and n grateful people will do the rest. In case of failure at the next session we should have bill ready for the payment of city taxes.
 If Berkeley and Alameda not yet ready to form a consolidated city and county govern ment which in the near future must come, let them continue in the parrot imitation until they tire and instead of us asking them to join us. let them ask us to join them. In the meantime we must not be idle, but reduce our expenses. -
 Economy is practical in every private busi- ness and corporation; why not let the tax payers try hand in securing the Inuch- needed reduction? High taxes means high interest. .,, wit Of city the city assessor performs the same Work as the county assessor: a city tax collector per forms the same work as a county tax col lector; a city auditor performs the same work as county auditor; and the City Council. as a city Board of Equalization, performs the same work as a County Board Of Supervisors acting as a County Board of Equalization. and fhe faxpayers are compelled to repeat their weary wait for the privilege of paying their municipal taxes, besides 1t Is great detr1ment to Oakland.
 The reason for not having elbow room at the City Hall is because we have the same work done over again which has already been requires the officials named but swarms Of deputies to do what is needless labor, as above stated. The State sets us good example in paying the school money. It is not taken to the City Hall; 1t is paid by the County Treasurer d. rect to the teachers at the county building Nobody hears any complaint from the teachers; they would much sooner go there throughout the year and get their cash than go to the City Hall part of the time and get scrip. So would every employe of the city, ana sucn would be the result with the reduced officers and deputies and unnecessary books and other materials that the taxes could be reduced and would pay cash to the remaining employees The large commodious rooms at the Court ! house and Hall of Records would meet all re- quirements. at any rate until sister cities are ready to join us, and that time would not be long when the taxes of Oakland would be much lower than those of our neighborS. They will then dispense with their double govern ment and come down to business principles.