Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-07-23
WILL INCREASE
Taxes 0NE-F0URTH.
Plan Of american" Administra-
ton to Get Out of Hole by
PiIing Burden on People.
PAY FOR ExTRAvAeANcE
Three and Hnlf Mills Proposed for
Sinking Fund and One Mill for
Aqueduct TO Heavy Load

Tonight the city council holds an
adjourned session to fix the tax levy
for the ensuing year and IL the con-
ciusion arrived at yesterday afternoon
at meeting of the finance COMMITTEES
is carried out, u levy OF l6A mills will
be made. This s an increase of 4h
mills over the levy OF last year. and
VIII mean an additional burden on
the taxpayers of the city, IL they Will
stand for IL, just to help out the ex-
trayagant administration OF the city's
affairs by the American party.
FOR SURPLUS FUND.
1t is proposed by the committee to
add a $40 mill tax for the purpose of
providing for sinking fund to redeem
the city's bonded Indebtedness and also
to pay interest on the bonds instead OF
taking care of that out of the general
contingent expense fund. 1t is also
proposed to add one mill to last years
levy to construct Il concrete acquaduct
on North Temple street from Fifth to
Ninth West street to avoid the over
flow. OF City creek and consequent
floods in that portion OF the city. This
could be done out OF the waterworks
fund, but the administration is going
TO hold its regular funds Ia reserve as
nearly as possible so that transfers
may be made from them to the contin-
gent fund and cover up the overdrafts
in that fund and make the people pay
Tor that improvement by an additional
tax.
RECOMMENDS SPECIAL. LEVY.
Those present at the committee
meeting yesterday afternoon were Nav
or Thompson, Asst City Atty. Dininny.
deputy City Auditor Stephens, Col,
Nelson of the official organ of the adj
iilInlstatlon, Councilmen Black, Crab
Tree, DAVIS, Fernstrom and Ferry,
Fernstrom insisted that the law would
not permit of a special levy for n
SINKING and interest fund, but as the
assistant attorney declared that n
would be legal. the committee decided
10 recommend it.
me levy as recommended by the COM
. .ltuve Is practcaily as follows: con-
tlnsent fund, mills; street fund =
mills; waterworks, sewer ana library
FUNDS, 2 mills; sinking and interest
Iund' ga mills; construction OF acque-
duct. l mill.
MAY BE DEFEATED IN cotfRT
The law states what the council may
NIX the levy for but 1t does not include
levy for sinking and interest fund
hence 1t is claimed that a lew for
that purpose could be defeated in court.
AS 10 liking the levy section 253 of the
revised statutes of 1898 reads as fol-
lows:
Annual Tax.-During the month of
July of each year. the city council at
q regular meeting thereof, shall, by or
dinance OF resolution, levy on the real
and personal property within the CITY
made taxable by law:
i. Not to exceed 5 mills on the dol
Lar TO defray contingent expenses.
". Not TO exceed 10 mills on the
dollar 10 purchase water sources.
streams, and the land upon which said
streams are appropriated, aud canals;
TO construct waterworks, and to supply
water for irrigation and othe purposes
"3. Not TO exceed mills on the dol
Lar to open, improve and repair the
streets and sidewalks.
-. Not to exceed mills on the dol
lar TO construct and repair sewers and
drains.
IS. Not to exceed 10 mills on the dol
lar to construct and maintain gas
works, electric light works, telephone
lines, street railways or bath houses"
Nothing Is mentioned therein about
levy for a sinking or interest fund at
all and 1t is therefore claimed that
such levy would be Illegal. The COM
mittee also decided yesterday to COM
plete the improvements for which con-
tracts have been let up to date but
not TO attnpt any oher contracts this
year.