The San Francisco call., 1899-06-24

90 al plpDdDlN OutSlut lilc IleuSt. uellCilS
amounting to 1921 900, and for which you
are not responsible; salaries for extra po-
| lice, $50 900; judgments, interest and sink
| ing fund, approNmatlng $40 900. [ oSti-
mate. therefore, that the board can keep
| its pledge and raise the total of these
amounts $5,37O,115. AS the revenue for
the current fiscal year for city purposes
was S60S9 .9O6 y. a retrenchment for the
next fiscal year of $7l9,791 is necessary.
This will require on your part strict econ
only, but there is no reason why, at the
same time, any department of the city
government should be crippled. because
you will find on investigation a surplus
number of employees i'm many departments
and many employees who do not give the
time for which they are paid to the city.
There is this much elasticity In our fiscal
system, however, that the same revenue
may be derived by increasing the assess
ment roll and at the same time reducing
the tax rate. There is no limit on this
except that imposed by law. namely. the
cash value of property subject to taxa
ton. The facts are that the property
of the small householder is fully assessed,
while the property of the quasi-public
corporations principally, is grossly un-
dervalued. In a communication to the
Board of Supervisors on July "a last year
l showed that seven street railway and
lighting corporations in this city We're un-
derassessed $50. .72l 199. That represented
the difference between the selling price
of their stock and bonds in the market
and the total valuation of their tangible
property as assessed. This is due to the
failure of the Assessor to properly assess
the franchises of these corporations. which
should be valued according to the rule
upheld by the Supreme Court in the case
of the San Jose Gas Company VS. Jan
uary. AS just stated, the Assessor and
hi Of
their party platforms to this rule, which
will largely increase the assessment roll
and the city's resources.
The Mayor supplemented his message
yesterday with a renewal of his party
pledge and a reiteration of his belief
that the indicated tax rate is sufficient.
II certainly believe he said, that a
dollar rate on each $1O0 of $3.50 600, 900 is
sufficient to maintain the city govern
ment. By this / mean that such taxa
tion is sufficient for the current ex-
penses of the government. In this l
contemplate no permanent improve
ments, such as school houses, munich
pal buildings, hospitals and sewer sys-
TEN. If the people of San Francisco
want these permanent improvements
the city should be bonded. 1t is alb
surd to build Hall of Justice out of
one years taxation.
Il believe, therefore, that S5, 500 600 is
a sum ample for the administration of
the government"
The majority of the Board of Super
visors irrespective of party principles.
were likewise emphatic. The opinions
Of each member are given, as follows:
SUPERVISOR HEYER-
! propose to live up to the strict let
ter of my pledge. / am convinced that
the dOllar-limit method of taxation
will furnish us ample funds on which
to run the local government. 1t was
on that pledge that we We're elected.
Every Supervisor agreed to the propo-
sition when he accepted his nomina-
ton, and the fact that we were elected
by the people is ample proof that the
clause in our platform relating to the
dollar limit was wholly satisfactory to
them. If the general public should by
any chance believe that they should be
taxed more than the amount indicated
in our platform let them lay the bur
den of the blame on the Republican
party. You can assure the people for
me that l will stand by my pledge.
SUPERVISOR AIGELTINGER-
You may quote me as saying that I
am strongly in favor of a dollar tax
limit. 1t was a pledge | took when |
received my nomination and | do not
propose to break it. l am in favor of
everything that is for the best inter
ests of the people, and as they have
expressed their desire for a tax levy
of one dollar on a $3.50. 900, 900 basis I
propose to carry out their wishes. The
matter is one of moment and has occu-
pied my mind for some time. / earnest
" believe that the affairs of the city
and county can be adequately admins
tered on that amount. When the mat
ter is brought up in board l will stand
and to the will of the people
SUPERVISOR ATTRIDGE-
/ think l can express the feeling of
the entire board when l say that we
all favor the dollar limit. Personally I
believe we can even get below that
amount, and | intend doing my utmost
to do it. The matter of taxation is one
in which all citizens are vitally inter
ested, and when they elected us to of
flee 1t was upon the understanding that
we would carry out their desires. The
platform of the Republican party fav-
ored a dollar limit, and as | pledged
myself to uphold its planks / will not
at this late day prove false to the
pledge l gave when given the nomina-
ton
SUPERVISOR PERRAULT-
/ went before the people pledged to
give them a 81 tax limit on $3.50, ,000, 900,
and having been chosen to carry out
their hehests l for one intend doing
so. | believe that the municipality can
be run on the amount to be obtained
by a 81 tax limit ON basis of $3.50, ,000,-
600, plus the revenues from other
sources, which will amount to about
S1443,G00, | appreciate the danger Of
crisis in some of the departments of
the city government but think they
may be avoided by strict economy in
public improvements. If these crises
do come the Supervisors should not be
blamed, as they are only carrying out
the expressed wishes of their constitu-
ents in giving them the 81 tax limit.
SUPERVISOR LACKMANN-