The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-07

III Tire MdTcn session, all the
,ncnioers being present except Mr..
'enhins, whose home is in the country.
Wnen the board was ready for bust
ness the Clerk read the following COM
munication from the Chamber of Com
merce:
Sacramento, March 6, 1899.
10 the Board of Directors of the Sac
ramento Chamber of Commerce: Your
committee on Public Affairs is trying
20 erase from the county government
Dill now pending all the clauses which
change the present law affecting this
county
These innovations will increase the
salary list about $4,000 per annum. The
public service has not suffered under
the existing system, and there does not
appear any weighty reason why ex-
penses should be made greater.
Considering the dismal prospects OF
this year it would be more natural to
decrease expenses all along the line,
rather than increase them.
The office holders who are to be bene-
fitted have been recently elected on
pledges of economy They have given
little notice to the taxpayers of their
desire for more help and wages. Al
session these items are announced in
a bill which is so voluminous that the
fate of all the clauses which affect any
county will be decided by the represen-
tatives of that county alone.
Citizens generally, the Grand Jury
and the Board of Supervisors should
Immediately investigate and write their
opinions to the members of the Legis-
lature from this county.
A. B. Humphrey of Mayhem Station
addressed the board on the subject. He
said the taxpayers of the American
River district look with alarm on any
proposition to increase their taxes at
this time, when the outlook for a pros
porous year are very poor. They had
prepared and signed a petition to that
effect, which has been forwarded to
the county's representatives in the
Legislature.
Mclaughlin then offered the following
resolution:
| Whereas, Senate bill No. 3OS and AS
sembly bill No. 1 GOO, an Act to estab-
lsh uniform system of county and
township governments Section 1872,
for counties of the fifth. class (Sacra-
| mento) provides for increases on ac-
| "a
the amount of over $1,000 per annum;
and
Whereas, The taxpayers of Sacra-
mento County and indeed of all por-
tons Of the State, are confronted by
conditions which force upon us the
gravest apprehensions as to the ability
OF the taxpayer to meet his RESPONSE
bilities; be it
! ssRocolx-aI :,
all legislation affecting counties of the
n1th class which will result in increas-
ing the expenses of the government of
the county of Sacramento.
Resolved, That a copy of these reso-
lutions be sent Immediately to our
Senator. Hon. ellis Doty, and to our
Assemblymen, Hons Grove L. johnson,
| w. d. Knights and Morris Brooke"
| On motion of Morrison the commune
cation from the Chamber of Commerce
was received and placed on file, and
further consideration of the matter was
deferred until the afternoon session.
There was large number of tax
payers present in the afternoon when
the Mclaughlin resolution was taken
up.
Thomas Mcconnell said that Elk
and found that it proposes to do indi-
rectly what the Constitution prohibits
| being done-to raise salaries while in
office. He thought the incumbents of
the offices were we'll paid and if they
were dissatisfied, they could resign and
there We're plenty of competent men
who would be glad to take their
places. The taxpayers of the county
protest against the raise.
| Assessor Berkey said that he did not
know that he could say anything of in
terest until all the opponents of the
bill have spoken against it. He wished
to- hear first what offense he was
charged with.
| D. w. Taylor said that none of the
candidates said last fall, when running
for office, that they wanted their sal
aries raised, and he did not know that
they did. With the prospect of dry
season the people cannot stand the in
crease.
| J. o. Coleman said that the Assessor
was the only county officer who had
given notice of asking for an increase,
and such being the case he would con-
fine himself to his request. There were
no charges, as far as he was aware;
it is simply a protest against the in
crease. He read the statement of Mr..
Berkey as published in the Record
| Union and said that his salary, which
is $4,000. has not been reduced by the
| law. This bill, providing for a Field
| Deputy at 81 200, which is an increase
of $500 over the present salary, would
be clear increase and could not, there
| fore, be of any service to Mr.. Berkey
during his term of office. The failure
of the Supervisors to provide for road
| poll tax was not decrease of the As
SCISSORS salary which there has been
no attempt to reduce If the board con-
cluded to do without the road tax this
year that was partly the Assessors
! fault and should not be considered. He
| had no personal feeling in this matter,
but was acting in behalf of an organi-
| zation. If the county officials wished
more assistance, he thought they should
have first stated their desire to the
Board of Supervisors but this had not
been done.
| j. A. Reid spoke in. behalf of the tax
| payers. saying that the prospects for
| the coming year were not bright, and
the farmers were opposed to the in
crease.
J. H. Hayden spoke briefly in a SIM
liar strain.
Assessor Berkey then took up the
memorial of the Chamber of Commerce
He said that Mr.. Coleman had made
the point that his stipulated salary of
$4,000 was not attacked. For his part
he could see no difference between at
lacking that salary and taking $1,000
from the perquisites that go to make
part Of his salary and are certainly
mart of it Since he first took office