The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-02-11
The Bu!Istin 10 on sale nj the fellow.
Ing places:
Celeman'u, x1% Eighth Street.
Halliday Houss News Stand.
Blue Front Restaurant.
CAIRO's REVENUE PROBLEM.

In the Cairo In 1875 notes this
morning The Bulletins historical
editor presents a little item wnich
has significant interest in connectit n
with the talk of the hast several
Weeks regarding Cairo's deficient
revenue. This item is as follows
taken from the Cairo Daily Bulletin
PIT 1875; The assessed value of city
property for 1874 was s2,75S. 1903; Of
he comfy property outside the city.
17i ia. The as essment Tat yaar
WAS nal l3y liz. Alderman Chas.
Enlnngham aad was unloubt -dly a
[air estimate Of the actual value OF
pill property in Cairo at that time.
Fiat was thirtyfour years ago and
fhe city has grown since thea. It
has trebled in population. treb'ed In
It's needs in the public service.
trebled In the ACTUAL ya,ue Of its
property: but--mark you--it has
LOST s734.467 in the TAXABLE
value of its property
In 1875 the state permitted the eX.
Pension of taxes upon the actual Tor
alleged actuaD value of property
hnd the city collected. or could col
)ect, two per cent on $2.75S. 703. III
The same law were now in force, with
the actual Tor alleged actuaD yalua.
lion of property last year. II could
Collect, if 1t needed the money. two
per cent on s10.1ZiIS0. for that was
the valuation Of property In the city
bf Cairo last year.
Had the state law remained the
Bame the city government could
have kept pace win the needs of the
eity as the city grew-could have
Kept little In advance all the time
bud thus prompted development. Buti
The law was changed and il requires
how that only one-fifth Of the actual
tor alleged actuaD value shall be the
taxable value OF property which per
|nits the city 10 collect two per cent
bn only s2.024,23G. as stated. aid
with the result that the city has b-ru
In great financial distress ever sin q
The new state law GAS been in fcr, e. /
beng unable to eXtricate itself frt "a I
The entanglements IN which Il was
Involved by the many extraordinary |
which 1t was forced % 1
make in the early eighties on ;c-I
eount of its levees. and meet prep /
krly the cost OF such much needcl /
5treet improvements as were inaugu- /
lated in the later eighties under tae /
of Mayor Thos ". /
halliday. Insteal Of leading In tine
|ip-building Of the city. the govern
nent has fallen away behind the 4
briyate enterprise in the march q /
Progress.
The objection is made that. With
but these limitations placed upon I
ne taxing power. this power might
b. used to Cypress the people in the \
-oiiecti0n of money to be squan1er.d L
3y those In authority; but this is not
10 great q Ianger as may appear 10
zcme. for the appropriation Ordi 1
sances which are required q BE-
,assei and which must designate ~
What purpose certain sums are want
IA. would be an effective ana prob
laly an ample check upon any dis
POSITION 70 extravagsnt and useless
However. this Is largely uselss
ak. like a great zeal Of what hes
cen said on the subject lately has
,een. although u tends. As an the
,fher talk has done. 70 a clearer IN
Restraining Of the general situation
nd Of the problems that confront Us.
rhe state Law is on the books. Il T.
sof likely 70 be changed VERY soon. .
NJ Where's no use kicking against