The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-07
TAKES BRAINS
To PREPARE A
FAIR TAX LEVY
One Dollar Talk Is
Plain Politics.
HONESTY ONLY is EXPECTED
DALTON's DEFENSIVE FIGURES
DO NOT DEFEND.
Simply Show That He Has Been Do
ing the Duties Of the Office
to Which he Was
Elected.
HONESTY ONLY is EXPECTED
DALTON's DEFENSIVE FIGURES
DO NOT DEFEND.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
ahC

will take the initial step toward deciding
whether Oakland shall progress or recede
during the current fiscal year
The fixing of the tax levy will be the
business of the evening after receiving the
estimates of Auditor Breed and the &C
Cornpanying message of Mayor Snow. 1t
IS true that so far as the amount OF the
tax levy is concerned, the matter is sup
posed to have been fixed at the party con-
ventions held in the spring. All Will
reCollect how Mayor Davie made his cam
paign with much pardonable pride on his
record as Mayor of the city on dollar
tax levy. To offset his thunder his op-
ponents, including Mayor Snow, also de-
cIared that they would not approve OF
any higher tax levy than one dollar, and
such was the slogan of all campaigns
Much of the talk about a dollar tax
lew so far as Oakland IS concerned, is
buncombe, It IS distressing and Goes not
appear 10 any intelligent citizen. a grow
ing city, like a growing business, cannot
keep pace with competitors unless II prac-
tees some liberality in its affairs A dol
lar tax injudiciously spentis altogether too
much. 4 half-dOllar tax wasted IS also
too much. A levy of two dollars, II spent
iudiCiOuSly and in such manner that
the citizens derive permanent benefit from
it, is not too high. The nonsense ABOUT
a dollar tax levy is simply as dust thrown 'T1
mand is a return for every dollar of taxes
collected. and So long as they are assured
Of this they do not care at what ngure
the tax levy is placed in reason.
After all. the tax levy is only a delu-
sion 1t is really the assessment that
controls the levy. 1t is q very easy mat
ter to fool with figures, and they can be
made to lie more than a yellow romancer.
Oakland IS really under the thumb OF the
County Assessor in the matter Of her tax
levy. The charter provides that the tlg-
ures Of the County Assessor shall be the
basis of the City'S assessment. In po-
Ntical year. which is generally the year
before an election. a County Assessor can
become very popular by reducing the
assessment p per cent This, Of course,
would neCesSitate an increase OF 70 per
cent in the tax levy TO produce the same
income as that Of the previous year. The
City Council would have to bear all the
odium of fixing a higher tax levy. whereas
their hands were completely tied before
they undertook the task. 1t is easy lot
County Assessor to swell the assessment
roll by putting on it a million or so OF
railroad property which il is known will
be stricken from the county roll by the
State Board of Equalization. There is
now about a million and half of railroad
property on the city rolls which will fig
urt IN the making OF JHe TAX IeE$, DuI
which should be discarded by the Council
because it is known that the tax upon it
VIII never be paid. On dollar levy TINS
quantity would make a difference Of Sl5,-
09o-enough to build many miles of good
streets.
The City Council must take cognizance
Of these facts in fixing the levy or there
VIII ne the same ldu6DLdDIe poverty 10
be encountered at the end of the fiscal
year al was experienced by the city three
months ago. This is the first year in
which it has been the duty of the Council
to arrange in the estimates for the large
annexed district. as last year the legality
Of the annexation was still in the courts.
This district should receive q larger share
than its proportion of the taxes to make
up for what II has lost during two years
If doubt in which it paid its taxes into the
city treasury, receiving little but promises
in return. a glance at East Twelfth
street which was permanently improved
a year ago by a direct taxation of a few
cents should be considered in fixing the
new levy. and an appropriation should be
included for at least one such public i'm
prOvement. Naturally, in view of the
new civic conditions. the thoroughfare to
he next improved should be San Pablo
avenue, which runs directly through the
annexed territory, and upon which first
class electric road has just been com
pleted.
Usually the fixing of the tax levy is re-
garded by Councils as a perfunctory duty,
to be got rid of as soon possible;
but this idea is positively wrong and
really criminal 1t is the most important
duty imposed on a City Council. and re-
Quires much thought and careful judg-
ment There are in the Council enough
business men to direct the financial at
fairs Of the city in such manner will
give perfect satisfaction, but if petty pol
tics, personal ambitions and sectional
strife be allowed to dominate the deliber-
atoms this year Will be one of failure.
The Oakland of to-day is not the Oak
land Of five years ago. It is a lamentable
fact that many Of the men charged with
the government Of the city are not suffi-
GENTLY informed OF its needs. A few days
ago ! asked some Of the COunCilmen how
often they had walked along the water
front during the past five years, and to
my surprise not one Of those l spoke to
had performed this duty. Yet On the
water front are improvements rapidly be-
ing developed, and in the harbor lies the
secret OF the city s future Every wharf
and there are too few of them-is kept
busy TO its utmost capacity, and often
several ships are waiting for berths. Dur
ing this week some interest was created
by the publication of the fact that the
corrugated iron for the roofing of the i'm
mense granaries being constructed at the
foot of Myrtle street had to be shipped
from Pennsylvania, when there is every
facility for manufacturing II in this city,
and also q coast trade that would Justify
the establishment of such plant These
are some Of the ideas that should enter
into the deliberations of the City Council
and should be the guide of their actions
If a tax levy higher than 81 is neces-
sary to foster improvements, to encourage
the establishment of factories and to
build up the commerce of this city, then
q City Council can depend upon the sup
port Of the taxpayers in fixing such a
levy. The duty of municipal government
does not consist entirely in maintaining
the citys present status but in laying the
foundation each year for future develop
ments and progress to the end that the
assessment roll can be honestly increased
each year, which should mean an ulti-
mate reduction of each successive tax
levy Judged by this standard, the last
five years Of government in this city can
not be called a great success.
The reference made - the manner in
which the County Assessor really con-
trolls the city tax levy is shown by a
statement in the report of Auditor Breed,
made public yesterday. 1t refers to the
city's total assessment, and then says
less doubtful assessments. stocks. bonds,
Central Pacific railroad assessments ST.
asa. $50" This amount is on the roll and
includes the Seventh street local and
other property of the railroad that the
State board has declared year after year
to have been assessed as part of the main
line. not assessable in any other manner.
During the past week Assessor Dalton
has issued statement which he says is
In defense Of some articles published that