The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-23
Resolution Adonted

The report of the finance committee
on the matter of making the city levy
Ior this year reads as follows:
Resolution Adopted.
Be it resolved. by the city council of
SAT- Lake City. Utah. That there be and
IS hereby levied. for the fiscal year end
ing Dec; 81. 1903 general tax on an
real and personal property within Salt
Lake city. Utah, mace taxable by law.
or nine 90 mills on tne dollar. 20 be dis
tributed among the various funds as fol-
lows tO-wit:
1. To defray the contingent expenses of
ssld city four and one-half GI2) mills on
?. To defray the expense Of opening.
improving and repairing streets and side
walks. two AID one-half C2i2) mills on
the dollar.
3. To defray the expense of purchasing
water sources, streams and lands upon
which said streams are appropriated. and
canals. OF constructing waterworks and
supplying water For irrigation and other
purposes. one and one-half az mills on
the dollar.
g. To defray the expense Of construc-
Ing and repairing sewers and drains. one
fourth % on one mill on the dollar
D. To defray the expense of maintain
ing public library and free reading
room. one-fourth 90 of one mill on the
dollar
Accompanying the above was the fol-
lowing communications:
We, your committee on finance to
whom was referred the estimate Of the
city auditor for the tax levy for the
fiscal year ending Dec. 81, 1903. beg leave
TO report as follows:
We have examined the auditors state
meat OF estimated expenditures and re-
cclpts and the amount necessary to he
raised by taxation. and believe them to
be correct. The estimate Of the taxes
is based on the valuation reported by
the county auditor and submitted TO the
city council. We understand that the
county board Of equalization has since
made an attempt to transfer the amount
or the net proceeds Of mines i'm Bingham
To Salt Lake City which would increase
the valuation somewhat. bot. as the
question Of the legality of the transfer.
We understand. rs to be tested I'm the
courts. IL would not be safe TO figure on
the increased valuation.
We concur in the auditors recommen-
dalton that the total levy be made
nine mills on the dollar but. owing 10
the fact that some OF the contemplated
expenses Of the sewer fund can be dis
pCnsed with for this year. we recon-
fourth of q mill. and the levy for irri-
cation and water supply be made one
and one-haif mills. in order that this
fund may not be so cramped for means
as i'm the past and 20 provide for con-
tingencies which are always likely 70
arise i'm connection with our water SUE
The tax rate herein recommended is
based upon the actual needs Of the city
and does not contemplate an increase IN
wages and salaries which increase, II
We therefore recommend that the levy
be fixed as provided in the accompany
ing resolution
Respectfully submitted.
W. G. SPENCE.
2. s. FERNSTROM.
CHARLES COTTRELL. JR- .
After this above had been read Coun-
Gilman A. ]. Davis moved an amend
ment. making the total levy 91z mills.
He proposed to take Il mill from the
irrigation and water fund and add ii
TO the contingent fund and add = mill
to the streets fund.
Black Wants Low Levy.
Councilman Black expressed himself
as being bitterly opposed to raising the
levy. contending that it should be low
cred. If anything. President CottrelI
and Councilmen Eardley and Fern
strom were also opposed to an in
crease, saying they would much prefer
to see the tax 81 mills. Thereupon
COu~< ilman Black amended the amend
ment by moving to take y mill from
the irrigation ana waterwOrks fund,
thereby making the levy 81 mills.
I'VE ought to do that" he continued,
Ito show the people that we are in
earnest when we say we want to econ
omize."
Councilman Sharp spoke at length on
the advisab ility of a decrease.
At that juncture Councilman Eardley
moved a substitute cOr the whole which
provided for the Increasing Of the con-
tingent fund levy to AZ mills and max
ing the irrigation tax III mills.
Councilman Daveler said that moth
ing would ever be accomplished by
such proceedings. and proceeded to
administer a scathing rebuke to the
members Of the finance committee for
H.
communication should have been more
tangible.
Councilman Eardlay's substitute was
lost by a vote of thirteen to two. Coun-
Gilman Hewlett then moved the fol-
lowing substitute for the whole;
Contingent fund. AZ mills; streets, ;;
irrigation and water. 1; library u;
sewer. 4: total mills. He said that
would make the levy the same as il
was last year.
Councilman Thomas raised the ire OF
councilmen by suggesting that y A mill
be taken from the irrigation and wa
fer levy. The lowering Of the levy was
opposed by Councilman Robinson in a
lengthy speech
Councilman 4. J. Davis said that il
the members of the council were so
anxious TO give the people what they
wanted. he did not see why the con-
tingent fund levy was not made
mills. that the city could have a larger
police department and better
equipped fire brigade.
Hewlett Substitute Lost.
IF YOU reduce the streets tax lew"
ne continued, 1T shows that you do not
want any further street improve
ments"
a vote was then taken on the Hew-
lett substitute for whole. which was
lost by the following vote:
Ayes-Black Daveler, A. J. Davis,
Thomas. Hewlett.
Noes-Arnold. +. Fl. Davis. Eardley.
Fernstrom. Robinson. Sharp. Spence.
Tuddenham. VigUs. President COttrell
10.
IL was then that Councilman Eardley
offered his substitute for the whole.
which was finally adopted. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Contingent fund AZ mills. streets.
"a irrigation and water IA sewers
and library. Il each.
Councuman Fernstr0m Protested
against the council making the least
,hange IN the irrigation and water levy
) He said that IL the council Is unable