Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-08-02
CITYS AFFAIRS IN
EXCELLENT CONDITION
Balance OF More Than Forty Thousand
Dollars In Treasury In Spite Of Va
rious Extraordinary Expenses-Au-
dltor Messick Takes Charge OF o.
fiee--Busy Committee Meeting.

John w Read. the retiring city an-
ditor, who was succeeded In office yes
terday by Christian X. Messick. last
night submitted a very interesting an
nual report to the finance committee
of the city council. The report gives
q concise resume OF what has been
accomplished by the city within the
past few years and what is being ac-
complished at the present time ana
suggests some reforms in the tax sys-
TEN as we'll as q change in the meth
DDS of collecting the municipal and
, school leyies.
Regarding the tax system, Mr. READ
Suggests that the present system is
nothing more than a relic of bygone
days snd should be given the cam
phor ball treatment" aud laid to rest.
He says that he believes that real
property and income derived from
sources other than real estate shouiu
constitute the basis Of personal t'xa-
ton and not the "dIlapidated house
hold furniture. bedsteads. and broken
chairs and pianos that are out OF
tune"
The members OF the committee list
ened to the reading Of the report Win
great interest and unanimously voteu
to submit IL to the common counch
At the regular meeting OF that body
tonight at o'clock at the '''ty nan.
The Report.
Following Is Mr.. Reads report IN
full:
"Ncwport News. Va, July 80, 1910.
"The Hon. Finance Committee OF the
City Council. Newport News, va.
"Gentlemen: beg to hand yon
herewith my report for the fiscal year
ending June 30. 1919. An analysis Of
the report will show that the city Is
IN excellent financial condition ana
that Notwithstanding the expenditure
of a large amount of money for street
Improvement purposes, the outlay for
additional equipment for the fire de-
partment, and the additional sum OF
$f2.25O account of the needs ana TO-
ouiremsuts OF the the public schools
Of the city. there still remains In the
treasury at the close of the present
yeer the sum of s43,494. an amount
amply sufficient to meet all require
rents OF the city government until
che taxes for the present calendar
year are available. A study OF the
report viii show that the ordinary re-
ceipts exceeded the ordinary expendi-
lures by about $4,000. In view OF the
low tax rate In effect and In view OF
the great number and variety OF ex.
penses that had to be met II seems
to me cause for congratuiation thai
we find ourselves In such good financ-
ial condition. II Is the view OF those
who are best informed that We are
on the eve of an era of prosperity
such as we have not know before. "
such be true. then our taxable values
should keep pace with the demands
for Increased expenditures by reason
OF this same development and can
see no reason why the most pessi-
mistic citizen should feel any alarm.
In view OF the fact that one more
year will see the retirement of the
last Of the series of emergency bonds
sold In April 1900 In order to meet
Geeciences existing at that time. II is
evident from the showing made in the
fiscal year just ended that the city
will soor be In a position to make
sfiil further expenditures IN the line
of public improvements and educa-
tional facilities beyond what we have
Jet been able to undertake in the
past
Newport News enjoys the disiiac-