The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1916-05-02
MAYORS REPORT.

Gentlemen OF the Council:
AS the details OF the years business
are given in the different committee re
ports. will only touch on the matters
OF importance generally.
In view of the fact that council saw
fit TO reduce the tax rate to Sl.70,
which gave us for administrative pur-
poses, S1.07 IL as follows:
Total rate ...................I
Less sinking fund .....37 IL
Less board of education. .25 so ~
Administrative .... .....S lO7 IL
the lowest for the last 20 years, we
were only able to maintain the city
departments up to their usual good
standard, and increase the net surplus
s26,S75.15. This increase is shown al
most in one item, that of increasing
the sinking fund. At present the sink
ing fund has actually been paid the
amount of $50, 735.77 which includes
the accrued interest to date, and there
is estimated due when the 1915 exc
cutions have been collected $6,l12,
making a grand total OF $96,S47.77,
which ] am able TO state has been
placed TO the sinking funds credit du-
ring my administration OF the past
three years, with the exception of aD-
proximately $l1 900 which was placed
TO its credit during the Butts admin
istration. This certainly is a record
OF which any administration should be
proud, and most certainly could not
have been accomplished had not each
and every alderman put forth his best
effort for the city's interest. In view
of the fact that the specific levy for
the sinking fund plus the interest
would have not accomplished the net
result, but goody portion of the
money placed in the fund was saved
from the operating expenses.
Considerable has been said in re-
gard to the change made by the city
in its method of the assessment of its
property. In this connection ! wish
10 show the wisdom OF the change.
Under the former method the assess
ors devoted about sixty days time in
assessing and the equalizers thirty
days in reviewing the assessments,
which time is wholly inadequate to the
accomplishment of the best results
report for the year. Under the pres
ent method the assessor has the entire
year in which to make personal in
spections, and come in contact with
the property owners and has ample
time in which to investigate COM
settle disputes on an equitable ba-
sis. Aside from this advantage, the
report OF the assessor shows an In.
crease in the personal property re-
turns of $lS9,750, which was almost
entirely voluntary on the part of the
taxpayers. s1l6.450 of this amount is
due to personal property returns which
heretofore escaped the board Of tax
assessors.
AT the present time the assessor has
been able to equaliZe certain real es-
tate values in which he shows a re-
duction of $s9,65s; which deducted
from the net increase ON personal
property leaves net taxable increase
of $l0O,l00, which at the present tax
rate of $l.70 has increase the city's
revenue $l0l.00 Under the former
method of assessments the total sal.
aries OF the assessors and equalizers
amounted to $3.50, and during each
year 1t became necessary TO employ in
the executive department additional
clerical help at an expense of $50
making total Of $1,000. The pres
ent salary of the assessor amounts to
$500. and he is required to do all the
additional extra clerical help in the
office. So you viii deduct from this
that instead OF it costing the city $500
more in reality the chance has pro-
duced an increase in the city's reve-
nue. of $1,000 or more. In my judg.
ment this change was a very wise one