Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-09-24
NOT ENOUGH VOTES
TO PASS BUDGET
ONLY FOUR ALDERMAN ATTEND
ED CITY COUNCIL
Tax Rate for Present Year Will be
$1.22 1-2, Same as Last Year.
Various Important Matters Con-
sidered at Yesterdays Session.

LWO-JnlruS favorable VOre OF the
entire city council being necessary,
the city fathers did not pass the
budget for the current year at yes
terday's regular session of the city
council as was intended. Present
were Mayor Cole, and Aldermen
Cain, Benavides, Blackshear and
Crixell; absent, Aldermen Cobolini,
Browne, Thorn and Kirk Alder
menThorn and Kirk were absent on
account of illness and Mr.. Browne
is away on leave. Alderman Cobo-
lini has just returned from an alb
sence of two months, but did not at
tend the meeting.
The matter will be disposed Of at
the Meeting next Monday.
The tax rate for the present year
will be the same as that of last year
-S1.22 1-2. Though the city is in
debt, the committee did not think it
advisable to increase the tax rate,
and the budgets that have been pre-
pared are also similar to those of
last year.
The ordinance covering the
budget for the current year, and
which the mayor read before the
council yesterday, apportions the
taxes as follows:
| For general maintenance, 62.5.
| For strets, briggs, ETC., 10.
For buildings, improvements, etc,
%.
To state school fund, 20.
Poll tax 81.
1t was explained that when the
last budget was made the council
| took up about $4,000 in old debts,
and the running expenses of the city
have increased about $4,000 during
! the present year This has been
caused by street improvements and
other additions However, it is be-
tlieved that the increased valuations
will enable the city council to elimi-
nate all old debts within the next
\ two or three years.
Each member of the council who
has not been given leave of absence
will be notified by letter by the city
secretary to be present at the next
meeting. Any councilman absent
ing himself from a meeting without
reasonable excuse is subject to q
fine of So. However, it is not an
ticipated that there will be any
trouble in getting the necessary
number to attend the next meeting.
1t was shown that the city now
has about $4,500 cash on hand, col
lected from the delinquent tax list
A resolution was adopted by the
council to pay out of this amount
about $4,000, which will include
about $1,150 for the purchase o
pipe and construction of the emer
gency pipe line at the water plant
the payment Of an account due y
E. Kendall, amounting to s241, ant
the balance owing Geo. Hamlinck OF
the construction of the storm sewe
system, amounting to about 81. 400.
A monthly report from E. "A
Stobart, covering the water ant
light department, was read. i
showed the receipts from the waite
: works system to be abtut 5000. II
this connection, Alderman Black
shear stated that the records shoV
that the plant is pumping 900
gallons daily. On this basis, n
figures that the city is receiving
, about eight cents a thousand gal
Ions for water, thus losing money
whereas. if the city were getting |
cents, the plant would make money
He stated that there is grea
waste of water. mentioning som
suburbanites who even go so far a
TO irrigate sugar cane with the cit
water. He said that water is bein
pumped at a loss, and believes tn
city should get 200 additional wa
ter meters. Mr. Stobart is alread
: in correspondence with the waite
Z meter people to see what arrange
< ments can be made for securing tn
I meters.
In the matter wherein the Browns
K vile Sewer company asks that tn
( council remit its taxes for 1910. tn
: council decided that ii could not ?
< done. The city attorney was III
< structed to proceed to collect tn
( taxes.
Z Referring to the failure OF peopl
I against whom complaints had bee
!. made for failure to connect with tn
4 sewerage system, City Attorne
z Kinder stated to the council ths
4 several men who had promised th