Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-07

MAYOR A.
day these physicians say the city never
made a better financial investment. And
these physicians now urge that health
conditions be given attention which they
should have, and not allow conditions
to become as they were before the
cleanup.
During the cleanup called upon the
people by proclamation to assist In the
work The response was so general and
results so good that each year while
am in office / will name cleanup days
and have the street department assist the
people In disposng of accumulated rub
bish.
In the spring a new officer was added
to the health department, which has at
tracted the attention of municipal Of
ficers in all parts of the Countrywide
restaurant inspector. Condition of our
restaurants caused this to originate here.
People are too familiar with the results
accomplished for me to detail the work
done In the way of cleaning up restau-
rants and restricting food served. In
spection, reinspection and enforcement of
food laws in the police courts have made
our restaurants the cleanest in the world.
Since the department was created the
number of inspections is 1857, arrests 26.
convictions "a and the amount of fines
paid into the police court $1460.
This department was never intended TO
be disappearing. but the police court
fines amount to within $500 of the total
amount of salaries paid to the inspector
and his assistants.
A bakeshop Inspector has worked to
make clean bake kitchens with about the
same success.
Milk never passed under closer scrutiny
than today. There are milk law offenders,
however, and these offenders have paid
enough money into the police courts to
warrant the increase in the number of
inspectors. Clean diaries mean pure
milk, but without inspection we cannot
hope for clean diaries. Experience has
taught this.
Water Department Gains
Administration of affairs in the water
department may be looked upon with
pride This department, while keeping
up with the growth of the city Is making
5000 900 a year. 1t is supplying people
with all the water they want. laying new
mains, and doing this out of the profits
of the business, Notwithstanding that the
price of water has been reduced % per
cent.
In many of the large cities Of the coun-
try when new water main is laid the
expense Is borne by direct tax on the
property frontage. In Los Angeles these
mains are laid without any cost to prop
erty owners. If Los Angeles patterned
after other cities more than $l50.000 a
year would be added to the profits of the
business. The people of Los Angeles can
congratulate themselves that this depart
ment has been able to do as 1t has been
doing and that they do not have to pay
for laying water main as they are COM
PEELED to for the laying of a sewer.
The department of billboard Inspector
has added nearly $4,000 to the city's reve-
nue. besides paying the salary of that
official There was double purpose In
creating this office. In the first place
the billboard had become a nuisance and
civic bodies demanded that the number
be reduced If the boards could not be
done away with altogether. An ordinance
was passed placing certain restrictions
on the maintenance of boards together
with license tax. Courts have held that
the tax can be collected. but the restric-
ton clause of the ordinance to be in
valid. A new ordinance is being drawn
which l believe will not only be valid
but effective in doing away partly with
the nuisance, and this / ask you to act
favorably upon.
1t Is not to be expected that every
municipal department shall be self-sup-
porting or money making. In some de-
partments 1t is all expense and no in
come. These must be maintained never
theless. and we should be always on the
alert to get revenue properly belonging
to the city to support them.
More License Taxation
do not believe that we have exhaust
ed all our resources to get more revenue
for the city. 1 believe there are prlvi-
leges which should be taxed which have
so far escaped Observation-Disclosures over
looked In our rapid growth.
Many of our license ordinances were
drafted when the city was much smaller
than 1t is today and they are not at all
applicable to city of 100000 population.
Privileges which were hardly worth pay
ing for then are valuable now. | be,
lieve a comparison of our license or
dinances with those of cities of our size
will show many defects, and point out
a way by which we can greatly increase
our license revenue. From time to time
during the year | have made recommen-
dations regarding licenses which have
been adopted, and the revenue has been
Increased many thousand dollars. But
the work Is by no means DONE
Being convinced of this now suggest
that your honorable body appoint COM
mission to be composed of a represent
tative of the city attorney, the city
auditor, tax collector and such ether
officials as you may deem proper to
revise our license tax system. l see no
reason why the city should be put to
any expense whatever as ordinances of
other cities can be secured by mail and
the city has enough officials to do the
work.
II such committee is appointed will