The San Francisco call., 1899-07-04

ENR dollar limit as he was during the
vi campaign last fall. Then, from a
dozen platforms each night, he
assured the voters of San Francisco that
with q careful pruning Of the expendf-
lures, Including a thorough wedding out
Of superfiuous deputies In the various de-
partments of the municipal government,
a dollar limit on an assessed valuation OF
$3.50 900 900 would provide ample revenue
The Mayor made the dollar limit his
hobby, and rode 1t early and late to every
assemblage of the faithful between North
Beach and the county line. 1t was the
panacea for all municipal Ills.
Even before the campaign opened or the
municipal conventions had met, Mayor
Phelan had trumpeted the dollar limit 80
loud and so persistently that friends ana
opponents listened TO his siren blasts with
the result that the Supervisorial nominees
of every convention were rigidly pledged
to the dollar limit.
Now his Honor is asking himself why
he talked so much.
For the first time during his political ca
reer Mayor Phelan was brought face to
face with the dollar limit at the session OF
the Board of Supervisors yesterday after
noon, DR.. Perrault performing the intro
duction ceremony, and If facial express
sionS indicate anything, the Mayor DID
not relish the meeting in the least. A
dose Of the doctors own nostrums might
be expected TO produce about the same
grimace.
The trouble arose over an innocent ap-
pearing little resolution recommended by
the Finance Committee, which recited
that the tax levy would not be fixed until
September, and in order that the Auditor
might have something to guide him in
passing upon the city's accounts every
public officer and department was limited
to one-siXth of the actual amount est1-
mated for the maintenance Of the various
offices and departments under the est1-
mate of the committee fixing the tax rate
at 81 073 Accompanying the resolution
and made a part thereto was the estimate
as published exclusively in The Call last
Friday.
Mayor Phelan innocently asked if the
departments could be maintained under
that limit.
1T viii make big cuts in all the depart
ments," replied Supervisor Perrault, who
as chairman of the Finance Committee
but some of the officials have told me
they cannot keep their offices open, said
the Mayor
them, but we have done the best we
could. You know we are all pledged 10
the dollar limit, which your Honor has
repeatedly asserted is quite sufficient TO
run the government on
Are all the departments affected?
What is the basis for the County Clerk s
I'VE have held that down in accordance
with the recent decision of the Supreme
| Court. Every office is cut with the excep-
ton of the License office. We left the
appropriation for the ensuing six months
the same as it was last year out of con-
stderation TO your Honor as we under
stood you had five appointees in that Of
fee, and we did not care to disturb
them"
Did Mr.. Bonnet say that he could not
get along with a smaller force?
''H eS, last January, II you remember,
called on Mr.. Bonnet and he assured me
that his office was conducted as econom-
with Mr.. Lees, the present Collector, and
he said the same thing. If his force was
reduced, he said. he would suffer serious
inconvenience. When l was talking to
him l tried to get an appointment in his
office for your. Honor, but he wouldn't
stand for that"
Who asked you to get an appointment
1Oh. it was Mr.. Fay your private sec
retary." AS Mr.. Fay is in the Mayor s
private office and is regarded as one of
his closest political lieutenants everybody
in the chamber but the Mayor enjoyed the
sally hugely.
with the statement that the Street De
partment could not be maintained on the
limit allowed by the Finance Committee,
and asked that it be increased.
Byington sought to rescue the Mayor
by moving that the resolution lie over for
a week.
Holland opposed the motion. He SAID the
Auditor must have some basis to work on
and the resolution should be adopted,
even If 1t was found necessary to amend
it in a week or two.
Perrault again donned the gloves so to
speak and asked the Mayor to suggest
such clerks as could be Topped off with
out gripping the department e ono to whiGh i
remember" said the doctor, you stated
in your annual message that great saw
ing could be effected by dispensing with
a IDENTITIES One of the npWSna-
pers has stated that your Honor has ex-
pressed a willingness to confer with the
Finance Committee Certainly shall
be glad to accept your advice in this mat
ter, for while we have no desire to Grip
pie any department, still we are bound TO
the dollar limit. and as your Honor IS a
stanch advocate of that tax rate and with
your greater experience you can without
a doubt give us the desired information -
to keeping within the limit without work
ing hardship on any of the departments.
AS it is now, we have some prisoners in
the County Jail and some patients in the
County Hospital. as well as some inmates
of the Almshouse, all of whom will have
to reduce their appetites to correspond
to the dollar limit; those people will prob
now, but this board is pledged to keep
within the. dollar limit and we. are deter
mined to keep within our pledge"
Are all of those institutions affected
by this estimator" asked the Mayor.
'Yes, all of them. The Almshouse. for
SIS 100 buys considerable food. However,
If your Honor will give the Finance Com
mittee the benefit of your experience and
judgment, perhaps we can make a more
satisfactory adjustment of this matter
II am entirely willing to confer with the
committee" said the Mayor.
MEANWHILE" continued Perrault "the
Merchants Association will probably sub
nit a tax levy in the course of a couple
of weeks, and If we delay action until
then it may give US something to work
on
Lackmann objected to any delay. "We
must give the Auditor some estimate to
work on,'' he said "even If we upset it
next week.
Phelps said the Auditor would not pass
upon any bills contracted during the cur
rent fiscal year for week or two, conse-
quently there would be no harm in delay
but a majority of the members thought
differently, and the motion to postpone
was lost by a vote of to 4.
The resolution then came up for adop-
tion and was carried by a vote of 8 to 3,
and the heads of the various departments
must conduct their offices under the dol
lar limit for the time. being at least
Perrault again paid his respects to the
Mayor by asking when his Honor would
be willing to counsel with the Finance
Committee.
"Oh, any time will do" replied the
Mayor; there's no hurry about that
~ think differently" returned Per-
fO ba for