El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-21

Los Angeles but inquiry there las So
far failed to locate any relatives
istic TO the city government. It is not
a medium Of criticism or interference,
but OF assistance and cooperation"
1 Invited by Chamber.
Mr. Smalley came here on the tnvi-
tatiOn of the chamber Of commerce,
said R. 8. OrndOrff We thought this
would be something that would inter
est our members. This is the age OF
efficiency and we are trying to make
the chamber Of commerce a bigger and
better organization
L. T. White strongly opposed the
proposed plan. declaring that the rea-
sOr for the change in the local city
government to n modified commission
form was to get the control into few
hands and he thought the proposed
league WOud counteract this effect.
! DO not believe the city council needs
advice he said. Let US leave the
city council 10 attend to its affairs
and not embarrass them, but leave
them alone" he said. I do not be-
lieve We need a taxpayers league Let
the new council go over the tax rolls
and equalize the taxes Of the city.
These councilmen as heads of depart
ments are competent ard economical
managers. 1 do not see where a tax
payers league could ASSIST the council
Let the chamber Of commerce appoint
a committee Of ten to see where il can
krnkauer FGvOrs League.
Robert Krakauer favored the pro-
posed league and made a talk in favor
Of the chamber Of commerce employing
an expert to assist the city. His duty
would be not 10 interfere but to assist I
the council and be a buffer between
the taxpayers and the council. BY do /
ing such work we can interest 1900 /
more members and it is TO the good or /
Ell Paso 10 save wherever possible and /
to progress"
". G. Roe. declared that the chamber
OF commerce was always glad to CO.
operas with me. city and suggested q !
committee for this purpose. He did-nOt |
IaFor the proposed taxpayers league. !
How Tucson Did IT.
In his talk 10 the meeting on the
work accomplished by the Pima COun- I
ty Taxpayers association, Mr.. Smallev :
showed how money had been saved !
there by the elimination Of waste and [
the careful watching Of all accounts.
The city manager at Tucson is very /
efficient and he has his fingers on all |
Of the details OF the city government" /
said Mr. Smalley. One way a saving /
was made in the reorganization Of the
police force. The force was reduced =
ana the detectives force increased and [
the record which was kept showed that /
better results were obtained A saving |
Of $4,000 year was made in this de- 1
partment alone. All Of the city and /
county and school district books were /
OF supplies. The tax rolls were careful /
" watched and the water department /
watched. 1t was found that Tucson was /
using more water than FL Paso and the /
solution OF this problem was to meter
the city, which is being done. The con
solidation Of the functions Of city and
county government which overlap was
also secured at a saving to both city
and county. The assessor. tax collector
and health offices were consolidated
Publicity by Taxation.
We got q publicity fund by taxa
ton. We went to the legislature and
got a law allowing US 1-20th Of one
percent for publicity work. We ap-
now receives $500 annually from this
taxation fund"
This point started a general discus
sion OF the possibilities Of supporting
the chamber Of commerce and its pub
licity bureau by direct taxation instead l
Of by the present budget fund in which
less than 500 subscribers participate.
Mr.. on ndorff said he favored such
plan il there was any way to bring it
about Mayor Lea said Amarillo had
such a plan and he suggested writing
there for a description Of the plan.
He said, however. that it would prob
ably mean a charter amendment to
make it possible.
Z. 7. White said he favored such
plan of supporting the chamber of I
commerce so that the 5000 or more tax
payers and not the 500 subscribers
should bear the burden equally. A. |
Schwartz also favored it and called at
tention TO the fact that people outside
OF the city did not subscribe to the |
chamber Of commerce fund and that {
many property owners inside OF the /
city did not pay their share although /
they received the benefits. Walter
KohIberg called attention to the fact 1
that the corporations do not subscribe
now while they would be forced to as
sist if the tax plan was adopted.
Budget by Taxation.
This led to a discussion of the pos /
sibilities of obtaining more revenues
Tor the city by increasing the tax yalu
alton percentage from 40 or so percent I
10 60 or even higher. This was urged |
BY Mr.. Slater. who declared that the 4
valuations were too low and that il Z
would be necessary to increase these /
before more bond issues could be !
1oated. He said the valuation was
much lower here than in most other
cities
To Take In Suburbs.
Mayor Lea announced that the coun- /
ell was now working on a plan to
take in the suburban sections which
are not now a part Of the city. He ]
said the advantages of this would /
overcome any objections to the pay Z ]
nent of taxes to the city and cited I
the fact that water, fire, light, and !
sewerage service was not compulsory /
in these suburban additions but would I