The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-11
KEEP TAX RATE TO
$3.50 URGES
THOMPSON
Tells Council That With Careful Ad.
ministration Tins Would Produce
Sufficient Revenue-Wants Early
Vote On City Ownership.
Passing of>old Council and Installa
ton of New Masked by Presenta-
tion OF Costly Gifts.

Glittering diamonds and honied
words Of praise on the one hand and
sound advice, delivered straight from
the shoulder, on the other, marked
the passing OF the old common conr-
ell and advent OF the new, in the city
hall, Tuesday evening. AS much OF
the populace as could jam itself into
the gallery and In the lobby OF the
council chamber was on hand to wit
ness the ceremonies.
Mayor Thompson's inaugural mes
sage followed the lines indicated
Tuesday, about one-third OF the mes
sage being devoted to the street car
question. In the event that the city
wins out in the municipal ownership
question now pending in the supreme
court, the earliest possible date
should be selected for the submission
of the question to the people. he said.
He urged the council to take steps
to secure the passage by. the legisla-
ture of "a comprehensive condemna-
ton act, which will completely en-
power the city of Detroit to condemn
the private property OF public utility
companies, so that II the city en,-
banks on any municipal ownership
enterprise II may carry IL along I'm.
der the same advantageous condi.
tons now enjoyed by private opera.
tors"
The mayor referred to the failure ct
the company TO make necessary extern
sions to its lines, even after permits
sion had been granted by the council.
end the council was urged to exert all
its firmness and ingenuity towards
forcing these extensions. He charac.
terized the present service as woe
fully inadequate" and said
rs IL possible that for another year.
without action on your part, you will
permit the Detroit United railway to
carry our citizens as the humane laws
OF the state would not permit dumb
beasts To be transporter"
Mayor Thompson recommended that
the pending lawsuit In the United
States court, brought during his
previous administration for the pur-
pose Of testing the validity of ser.
vice ordinance, be disregarded by the
council
When a city. on an important
proposition of this kind, waits beyond
a period OF two years for decision
from a court, no one should be heard
to complain IL its patience is exhaust.
ed" he said. 1T Is idle to presume
that the city is powerless. When II
takes a determined stand. results I'm
evitably follow. While this company
continues to maintain it's hostile at
titude toward the city. no suggestion
should be entertained to discontinue
the city's struggle for judicial dec
laration OF our right to control our
own property
The mayor urged cooperation with
the water board I'm It's efforts TO keep
pace with the demands OF the city;
commended the civil service law re.
Gently put In force In city depart
ments; urged the council to insist
on competitive bidding In the award
ing OF contracts by the park and
boulevard department.; declared for
additional public Fairgrounds. for
permanent election booths, for the
rapid extension of grade separation
work, for the separation Of municipal
from state elections and for a charter
amendment spreading the payment Of
street opening assessments over a
period OF years.
Taking up the question OF taxation.
the mayor said in part:
"The growing burden OF taxation
has become source of indignant
complaint. In 1909 the tax rate was
s1S.07 per thousand in 1910, it was
1881 per thousand. Those charged
with making up the budget ought to
remember that they are trustees of
the taxpayers funds, and the alder
men and estimators who are called
upon to review the budget ought to
be keenly conscious of the fact that
il is much easier for them to vote
big budget upon the backs OF the
taxpayers than II is for the taxpayers
to pay II at tax-paying time.
Economy and retrenchment are.
in my Judgment, vital principles of
the city's progress at this time.
think that a municipality ought to
exercise the same policy that is OK.
ercised by an individual namely: re-
trench its expenses to meet its in
come. II an individual finds himself
short of money, he goes without
many things which perhaps he ar
IDENTIFY desires to possess He would
be considered reckless and extrava-
CANT IL, notwithstanding his financial
necessity, he continued to crafty
every within and desire. am person.
ally satisfied that the income OF the
city derived from the contributions
OF the taxpayers ought to be limited
to not more than $3.50 per thousand
of the assessed valuation; that this
figure Is all that the individual tax-
payers can afford to pay at any one
time. urge upon the aldermen and
the estimators such wise retrench-
ment in municipal expenditures as
will keep the burden of taxation
down to this point"
With reference to tine suggested
separation of municipal and state
elections, the mayor made the def
mite suggestion that a charter amend
ment be submitted to The people
changing the time OF municipal cleo
lions 10 the first Tuesday after the
first Monday of November in the odd
years, and the selection of aldermen
one at time, In the fall election OF
each year. Under such plan, he
said, the people would learn TO vote
For man MT lahala, for nrinni nj ao