The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-03
BUDGET sQuABBLE.
DEVELOPS IN To
FINE TANGLE
Councils Plan for Test Suit Brings
Hally on Wrong End of Argument
and Mayor Seeks Way To Switch
Him Back.
Board of Commerce Comphcates Mat
tiers by Hiring Attorney To Defend
Estimators' Work.

City officials are in pretty tangle
as a result of the board of estimates
and the common council passing a
tax budget which Corporation Coun-
sci Hally declares is million dollars
in excess Of the legal limit.
Tuesday night the council laid the
foundation for suit to test the valid
ity of the tax levy. by adopting res
olution prepared by Controller Heine-
man and introduced by aid. Lodge,
directing the controller TO advertise
for proposals for $l.3S6,000 OF school
and sewer bonds authorized by the
estimators. This action followed
conference between the controller
and Corporation Counsel Hally. Such
a suit, however, would place Mr.. Hal
ly in the position of opposing his own
opinion unless the council engaged
special attorney to look after the
city's interests.
Now the Board Of Commerce steps
In with an attorney, Fred A. Baker.
and will take whatever legal steps
are necessary to sustain the validity
OF the budget as II now stands. Just
what form these proceedings will
take will probably be determined
within the next day or two One plan
that has been suggested Is to apply
for a mandamus to compel the board
OF estimates to reconvene and cut
$1,000,000 from the budget to bring
II within the limit fixed In the Hally
opinion. in the expectation that the
showing made In support OF the ap-
plication would be SO weak that the
mandamus would be denied.
President Milton A. McRae OF the
Board of Commerce, and Attorney Ba-
ker consulted Mayor Thompson on the
proposition, Wednesday forenoon. The
mayor at first misunderstood what
his visitors were getting at and was
inclined to stand behind their efforts.
Later, when he discovered that the
purpose of the Board of Commerce
was to sustain the budget at IL now
stands, called up President McRae
and withdrew his support. The
mayor, like Mr.. Hally, wants to see
the budget actually cut and will not
stand for any such make-believe
suit as has been proposed.
The plan contemplated by Control
ler Heineman and Corporation Coun-
eel Hally, Tuesday was to have some
taxpayer perhaps Mayor Thompson
himself start q friendly suit to re-
strain the controller from issuing the
bonds. as directed by the council.
Mr.. Hally, however, was not so keen
on this proposition, Wednesday morn
ing
Courts, as a rule, do not take
kindly to test SUITS he said. 1T
might be better to wait until after the
tax collection period begins and let
some taxpayer start a suit involving
bona fide property interests. We
would have a real issue then.
Mayor Thompson would not say.
Wednesday morning. whether he
would take the Initiative in starting
test suit He would have to consult
Mr. HALEY, he said. He did say, how
ever. that he would attempt to fix II in
some way 80 that Mr. Hally could ap-
pear in defense of his opinion that the
tax budget exceeds the legal INIT and
should be cut down.
II any action Is started by the
Board OF Commerce, the probabilities
are that several OF the largest taxpay-
ers In that body will be asked 10 lend
their names TO the petition.
The taxation committee OF the Board
OF Commerce. which was influential
in securing the passage Of several or
the items which are said to bring the
budget over the per cent limit. In.
dorsed the action Of President Nc
Rae, in a meeting Wednesday noon,
In retaining counsel for the purpose
OF defending the budget.
resolution was adopted by the
committee indorsing the budget as 1t
stands and declaring that II is the be-
lief OF the committee that II Is with
in the per cent limit. The resolu-
ton also expresses the thanks Of the
committee for the courtesies extend
ed by the board OF estimates and the
sub-committees.
The taxation committee will remain
as a permanent committee TO take up
matters pertaining to taxation and
look into the expenditure Of the money
aDpropriated