The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-11
keep TAX RATE TO
$3.50 URGES
THOMPSON
Tells Council That With Careful Al
ministration This Would Prodneo
Sufficient Rsvenue-wants Early
Vote On City 0wnership.
Passing of Old COunoi and Installa,
ton Of New Marked by Presenta-
tion of Costly Gifts.

Glittering diamonds and honied
words Of praise on the one hand ana
sound advice, delivered straight from
the shoulder, on the other, markell
the passing Of the old common conn
ell and advent Of the new, I'm the city
hall, Tuesday evening. As much az
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 Thompsons inaugural mes
sage followed the lines indicated
Tuesday. about one-third OF the me-
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 supremo|
court, the earliest possible date
should be selected for the submissions
OF the question to the people. he said.
He urged the council to take stepB
to secure the passage by the legisla-
ture OF "a comprehensive Condemns
tion act, which will completely en-
power the city of Detroit to condemn
the private property OF public utility
companies, SO that IL the city en-
barks on any municipal ownernhip
enterprise It may carry 1t along un-
der the same advantageous condi-
rions now enjoyed by private opera
tors"
The mayor referred to the failure or
the company to make necessary exten-
sions to It's lines, even after permits
sion had been granted by the council.
and the council was urged To exert all
ffQ Ax~tv, nj t.o -
forcing these extensions. He charac-
terized the present service as woe
fully inadequate" and said:
rs 1t possible that for another year.
without action on your part, you viii
permit the Detroit United railway to
carry our citizens as the humane laws
OF the state would not permit dumb
beasts to be transportede"
Mayor Thompson recommended that
the pending lawsuit In the United
States court. brought during his
previous administration for the pur-
pose of tasting the validity OF SER
vice ordinance, be disregarded by the
council.
When city, on an important
proposition OF this kind. waits beyond
a period Of two years for decision
from 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 70
takes determined stand, results in-
evitably follow. While this company
continues to maintain its hostile at
utude toward the city. no suggestion
should be entertained to discontinue
the city's struggle for a judicial dec
laration OF our right to control our
own property"
The mayor urged cooperation with
the water board In its 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 =
period OF years.
Taking up the question OF taxation,
the mayor said In part:
'"rhe growing burden OF taxation
has become a source of indignant
complaint In 1909 the tax rate was
$1S.07 per thousand: in 1910, il was
$1S.S7 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 IL is for the taxpayers
to pay IL at tax-paying time.
Economy and retrenchment are.
in my judgment, vital principles or
the city's progress at this time.
think that a municipality ought TO
exercise the same policy that II ex-
ercised by an individual, namely: re-
trench It's expenses to meet Its In
come. II an individual finds himself
short of money, he goes without
many things which perhaps he ar
dently desires to possess. He would
be considered reckless and extrava-
CANT II. Notwithstanding his financial
necessity. he continued TO crafty
every whim and desire. | am person
ally satisfied that the income Of the
city derived from the contributions
OF the taxpayers ought to be limited
10 not more than $3.50 per thousand
OF the assessed valuation: that this
igure is all that the individual tar
payers can AFFORD TO pay at any one
n hn a nj
the estimators such wise retrench-
ment in municipal expenditures a.
will keep the burden OF taxation
down TO this point"
Nart time some hair.splittinR iudxn