The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-05-08
Charter as Guide.

lat!on
Charter as Guide.
Every phase OF the process of making
up the budget was gone INTO In detail
aid rehsarsed. and finally the Mayor
questioned Mr.. Wood as to the superior
itv Of the charter as authority and guide
as compared With resolution OF the
Council.
He also mentioned Mr.. Wood as TO
his familiarity with the charter. and
brought out the admission that the
witness was no, familiar with the
changes made in the charter by the
new Constitution and the statutes in
pursuance thereof.
Mr. Cannon on Te-exanlination ques-
toned witness as to certain resoiu-
ton referred to the Finance Committee,
and also asked him as to the man
ner in which the estimates OF the de-
partments reached the committee.
Mr.. Cannon, By questions, establish
ed the fact that the Finance Commit
tee had merely done what every other
Finance Committee had done for about
thirty-hve years
At the conclusion OF SIR Woods
testimony. Mr.. Cannon. for the commit
tee, announced that they would rest
Mayor Mccarthy made similar an
| nouncement.
! The committee decided that /, would
! consider and dispose of this phase
| of the inquiry ct tl.i> time It was
arranged that the Mayor should open
/ the argument in FIVE minutes. SIR. Can
! non to rajoin in ten minutes. and tho
1 Mayor to close IN five minutes.
1 The Mayor in his opening statement
/ declared that when he charged the COM
mi,tee with violating the charter he had
4 intended no reflection upon the char.
acter OF tho members ot the committee
and nothing personal at all but in his
judicial capacity had called attention
10 what he regarded as q grave error
4 II. the method OF making up the bud
4 get He contended that the Council
was entitled TO and should have the
information which the Finance Com
I nilt&e alone received, and ii was 10
( emphasize this that he had directed
attention to the matter AS he stated
/ the case, the violation OF the charter
} was merely technical one. though
3its results were Of serious inpor,anc.
Ito the city.
I Ar. Cannon asserted with empha sis
that the Mayor had not pointed 10 one
line Of the charter which the committee
had violated. There was nothing in
the charter which forbade the COM
7 In!ttee to make up and recommend
an appropriation ordinance. and Il had
done nothing which the charter ,s,d
j IL should not do. but had merely step
ped into the breach when the Auditor
and the Council failed to do wba, tho
CHARTER provision required, and report-
cd an ordinance and set The wheels AZ
government going. He asked how IN.
nance Committee could do other,yis ~
man nsse It's estimate Of revenues
upon what sl.4o on the 800 VIII pro-
auce "heA It has no power to change
the rate or increase it.
tHS Souncil may FIX the tax rat. hr,
Zen that BODY IL not required 10 chang.
4 ~ sEey year All the Finance comrni,ts.
could 10 was 10 apportion the amour
derived from the existing tax t., 49,.
most equitable manner possible. In A.,
Judgment. and 1t had done this. Tn.
p!'u OF inc fiscal year was at hand AN,
n9H'e'mhs mad 10 be done 10 NEE, IN,
ApehsFs OF government. He dentet
N"Ht theTc had been any "rnonk.yf,.y.
q ~, ~" eie estimates. or any juggling q
= me hgures. az alleged. The committee
- .!tn 'o'io"ed the precedent Of thirty-fy.
:. years ana adopted the mott g,cei, .,,
~ '''IlSiilk D.IOSG M
council the needs OF the city peyern
:, inehs' The deficiency or ex!gency W.
loI Caused By the committee, but B,
- we failure OF the Auditor and In. coun
:, vi 10 90 what the charter provided.
'g J., Mayors Closing.
Is me Mayor In his brief closing asserte,
y that the estimate OF tho Auditor did NJ
u 60 to the Council at all, but to IN
l. FINANCE Committee. This was denied r
A. several, but IT was conceded that III
20 estimate did not go to the Council I'M,
the budget was reported. The Mac
: cited the experience OF tho Finance com
ln'ttee and the Council in ignoring IN
charter IN the matter OF proyidin,
sinking fund, and declared that AT,
two years work no had succecaed ,
forcing this matter upon the attentio
OF the Council. Since then the sinkin
fund had increased from about $500
hundreds OF thousands
At the conclusion OF the argument II
committee rose without further actio
subject to the call of tho chairman,
the next hearing II will take up the ma
ter OF the burning Of certain erroneous
printed city bonds and the recent sa
Of certain bonds below the price BID
the Sinking Fund Commissioners
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