Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-05
DISCUSSION OF TAX LEVY
General Committee Meeting Of Council
Attended by Citizens
poppls1oN INTRODUCES A RESOLUTION
Reduction of Four Wills From 'oun-
ellis Estimate ~ Asked by
Committee Representing
Taxpayers.

Thirty one mills is the tax levy which a
citizens committee requested of the mem
bers of the city council at the general
committee meeting yesterday afternoon
This is nearly four mills less than the
council estimates will be necessary 10 pro-
vide the 6ia a-mill levy asked by the Board
of Education, to wipe out the overlap and
keep the city in good condition.
The 31-mill resolution was introduced Ivy
w. $. Poppleton. After its adoption Her
man Kountze introduced and secured the
adoption of the following resolution:
Resolved, That no part Of the overlap
of 100000 be included in the levy for the
present year"
when the committee adjourned It was
with the understanding hat the members
will appear before the council at its reg
ular meeting tonight and urge their de-
mand that not more than 81 mills be levied.
The tax levy for last year was "a mills
for general purposes and 4 mills for the
Board of Education, total of 2S mills.
This year the Board of Education has
asked 61s mills and the estimates furnished
the city council by the heads OF departments
show that 2Sis mills will be required for
general purposes. This levy contemplates
the raising of 81 ,O2SOOO for general pur-
poses.
Estimates Are Presented.
City Engineer Andrew Rosewater pre-
sented the estimates of the council to the
committee and explained that the proposed
expenditures had been arrived at after
careful consideration of all possible eX-
penses In Iormer years, Mr. Rosewatci
explained, levy had been made without
consulting the heads OF departments. Th,
hoo
ficits which have been handed down tC
subsequent councils. The proposed levy
will wipe out all floating indebtedness anC
| give the city enough money with which e
carry on all departments during the year
w. II. Green made speech in which h,
announced in very loud voice
"If you councilmcn make a levy OF 81
mills | want to announce that you make /
at your peril"
Councilman Hascall provoked laughte
| by asking Mr.. Green:
''Is It not a fact that you are an actiy,
| candidate for mayor"
Herman KountZe urged that the levy b.
| Kept as low as possible. lie emphasize,
the fact that new business houses canno
| be induced TO locate in n city where taxa
| tion is excessive and requested the cit,
council to keep the taxes down to the low
est possible mark.
No answer was given to a question pro
pounded by Mayor Moores as to whethe
| the committee would be willing to proyid
| for the overlap in some other way and thu
reduce the levy to the amount of none
actually necessary to pay this years ex
penses.
| POppletOn's Statement.
w. 5. Poppleton stated that the city an
| the schools could be run successfully on
3l-mill levy. He dwelt at length upon tn
1 bad effect heavy taxation has on pros
| pective investors. lie urged that the pay
ment OF the overlap be delayed and esti
mates be pared in such manner that n
least 4-mill reduction of the propose
levy may be brought about.
There is no sense in delaying the pay
ment of claims which must be settled
We might as we'll face the situation now a
any other time" said Councilman Hascal
1.-TWO Omaha papers have been making
great noise about :he excessive levy "
are trying to make. 1t Is their busines
to dlngdong this into the ears OF tax
payers. Those two papers are links I
the same sausage, cut from the same do
and Joined by "A common string"
Speeches were also made by c. +. Wele
1
Swift and several others who attended tn
meeting.
Councilman Lobeck suggested wher
about S60,000 might be cut from the e>
penditures, thus reducing the levy to
mills. This was not satisfactory to tn
committee, however. which was determine
to go on record as favoring 31-mill lev,
The following were among the men VII
attended the meeting: W. 5. Wrigh
Henry w. Yates, Herman Kountze, J.
Willis, Samuel G. Rogers, j. W. Lytl
Henry Livesey, Alex Charlton, w.
Popplcton, James Creighton, C. +. Welle
Ward NJ. Burgess, L. NJ. Andreesen,
Wakeley, Thomas Swift, W. NJ. King,
w. Robbins, J. Il. Coad, J. Il. Riley. ]. v
Carr, w. II. Green, S. A. McWhorter, Al
thur C. Smith, Henry r. Clarke. w. !
Mason, James Neville and w. =. Smith
Headache-NeIraleia- ia-Colds-"Grip."
| Nn,bipg lilo s'nR NCJNEp pnulara