The San Francisco call., 1908-08-14
GROSS ESTIMATES
TAX RATE AT $1.2O.
OakIand's Auditor Files Annual
Statement of City's Needs
With Council
Cuts in Various Department De-
mands Reduce Proposed I'M
post Below Last Years

OAKLAND, Aug. 13.-City Auditor
George Gross filed his annual estimates
OF municipal expense today with the
city council and recommended tax
levy Of sl2O, a reduction of 5 cents
from last years figures.
Gross makes large cuts in the various
department demands, notably in the po-
lice, street and fire departments. He
has nevertheless allowed a liberal
amount for betterments in these depart
ments, including park improvements
and an allowance for the nucleus of a
public museum to be established on the
park site along the west shore of Lake
Merritt. Provision is made for disposal
Of the citys garbage by the city to
cost $4,000, and the necessary cost OF
various elections $27,2s0.
OFFERS ANNUAL ESTIMATE
In his report Gross said:
After considering for some weeks Oakland g
needs for the fiscal year 190s-1909, as presented
by department heads / offer for your eonsldera-
tion the accompanying annual estimate IN Keep
rate Of $1.20 500 valuation.
Distinctly discernible throughout department
figures is . meritOrious desire 10 not only main
tain high standard Of efficiency, but to better
and advance through material improvement the
welfare Of the city along all lines. regret that
Is asked, much Of which viii be imperative IN
the near future, a notable example being iouno
Owing to an Increase in our assessed valua-
ton q substantial reduction in the tax rate
seems due our citizens and this has been found
possible Of accomplishment without stinting de-
ALLOWING & substantial figure for betterments,
prominent among which will be found;
s5s,5oo for partial payments On i've new
Si,5oo for site for a IRE house in North
5000 to provide for so new FIRE hydrants
$4,000 70 be expended IN fighting infectious
$3.50 to make partial payment on new steel
$40. 600 to provide suitable building and en-
gines for salt water pumping plant
SS5. 800 for additions to congested schools,
principally the Piedmont and Clawson schools.
81 600 FOR horses for street department.
$500 for rock erusher.
$3.50 for scariher.
$1,000 for street signs.
$40 for 20 sprinkling carts.
S3, ,295 for steam roller.
$i5,l0O to build several culverts over Glen
Echo end Temescal creeks.
$1,000 for oilng streets.
$4,000 for resurfacing and repairing East
ss 500 to partially meet city's half OF cost Of
repaving Franklin street from Seventh to Four
Ieenth street.
$4,000 for repaying Fourteenth. avenue.
5000 for repaylng Forty-Second street
$3.50 for changing manholes in Grove street.
$500 for Lake Shore avenue storm sewer.
5000 to acquire strip park land northeast
arm Lake Merritt.
s4,7T5 for payment on woolsey property.
$500 for improvement Athol plaza.
81 600 for improvement of Bushrod park.
$500 for improvement Of De Fremery park.
$500 for improvement Of Independence park
500 for improvement Of Harrison boulevard.
$500 for improvement Of East Shore park
5000 for improvement Of Lakeside park.
$500 for improvement Of West Oakland park
s. 500 to purchase 4 clam shell dredger
$4,000 Tor dredging lake. building riprap wall
and Improving Peralta park site between Eighth
ND Two cfrn hri1
5000 TO be used in connection with the city
museum.
made for two extraordinary and rather heavy
drains our resources. namely, $54. 600 for
garbage disposal and S29,250 for various cleo
Use has been made of the public betterment
fund estab ished at my suggestion this year
for the first time by your honorable body. Most
Of the improv vements enumerated above are 20
be paid for from this fund, the object being TO
insure the expenditure OF these moneys for the
work here contemplated. This has not always
been accomplished in the past when no separate
fund available, maintenance and improve
ment payments being met from the same fund.
DEPARTMENT DEMANDS CUT
Chief of Police wilson's application
for 20 more patrolmen and two addi-
tional detectives was cut out of the
estimate. A cut Of S274,000 is made in
the street department estimates.
The department estimates, including
bond payments, total S2,163, ,611.30 and
lle duQitOIs aAteT pruning places the
figures at S1,5S9,s95.s5. The estimated
income from all sources other than
taxes is sS64,34Q including sI75,O0O for
retail liquor licenses. The assessed
valuation, including Oakland school dis
trict outside, taxed for school purposes
only, is s1O3,53s.3Oo. The tax levy Will
be required TO raise an estimated total
of 1929, ,72O.95. OF the $1.20 rate rec
commended 20 cents will be required for
bond interest and redemption, with IL
cents added in Golden Gate sanitary
district and s cents in Adeline sanitary
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