Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-11-25
s2.lO TAX Rate
FOR CITY, BOOST
80 CTS. HUNDRED
Increase is Due to $4,000
Funding Warrants and to
New Bond Issue

fixing the city tax rate for the pre-
sent year at $2.l0 per hundred dol
lars valuation, an increase Of 80
cents per hundred dollars valuation
over the rate for last year. $3.50
per hundred.
The general fund. the fund that
provides the general expenses for
operating the city, remains the same
a. last year, so cents per hundred
and Mayor A. B. Cole explained 20
the meeting that the increase Of
thirty cents a hundred was made ne
cessary by the issuance on May
last Of $4,000 in funding warrants
payable in ten years. and for which
a rate of 20 cents a hundred was
made, and by the pending bond is
sue of $175,O0O for which the city
j. forced by an opinion Of the attcr-
ney general at Austin 20 provide two
per cent for interest or sinking fund,
or tax rate Of 10 cents hundred.
In connection with the funding
warrant issue of $4,000 the mayor
said that this amount Is deficiency
that dates in its beginning back to
the time ofthe adoption Of the pre-
sent city charter at which time the
city was behind sH i.S operating e--
penses The budget year was changed
from tho calendar rerr Il the fiscal
year beginning Tuly ] and ending
June 80. forcing the city 70 ors rate
on taxes nor ~Dilertible for six
months. Thr issuance Of the var
rants. he said, permits The city 70
return TO the calendar yer s..stcm
and to begin u cperata On a cash
basis on January ", ie22. lie bciicv-
cd that next year the city would be
able IN opewase ur is incom: and
without borrowing.
OF the total of SIS, 900 i'm war
rants. about $4,000 was the def
cit in interest and sinking fund for
various bond issues, approximately
$4,000 Of the amount went 70 the
Fourteenth street and down the riv-
or road Improvement work, and the
balance of $4,000 was expended in
placing the city on cash basis.
As to the levy of ten cents per
hundred for lie h9nl issue If 81 s5,-
600 the MAJOR saId sllat IL was
thought for time that arrange
ments would not have TO be made
on this years taxes to take care Of
the issue. but that an opinion con-
trary to that belief had been render
ed by teh attorney general Of Texas,
who said that provision would have
ito be made for II. although the is-
sue will be dated January 2, 1922.
In arriving at the total tax rate
leeway of about six per cent was
allowed TO take care Of delinquent
taxes. although IL was pointed out
by City Attorney Del 5. Perkins, in
reading the ordinance, that the ac-
tual delinquency ordinarily amounts
to more than this and that frequent
ly In order 70 take care Of interest
and sinking funds the shortage had
to be made up from other funds.
Provision Is also made in the or
dinance for poll tax Of $l to be
collected from each qualified voter
in the city of Brownsville.
The commission acted favorably
on a petition from. Mrs Mary X.
Forto and Mrs. r. X Goodrich ask
ing a refund OF $i25 spent by them
in filling q ditch opened by the city
several years ago for drainage pur-
poses in section to the north az
the city cemetery. II was stated
that this was In accordance with an
agreement by the city at the time
the ditch was placed through the
/ property. which Il now being cut up
for residential purposes.
The mosquito question was brought
up by City Commissioner Jesse
bennett who complained that the
mosquito situation throughout the
city was serious. DIR. w. +. Spivey
city health officer. confirmed the
statements OF the city commission
er. and considerable discussion over
the matte enGucd. II was finally
decided 10 wait 4 month before any
further steps were taken and that II
the situation was still the same. ac-
tive measures to combat the pest
would he undertaken.
"It never gets cold enough. even
in the dead of winter. to kill out
the mosquitoes" the city health Of
ficer said. and he expressed the
opinion that water barrels in various
portions of the city are largeiv res
ronsible for the condition. "Why.
I've seen barrels of water AZ some
houses in which the water was as
thick with wiggIe tails a. SOUP" Dr.
Spivev said.
Ordinances were pa-sed TO the
first reading covering the iSsuances
Of bonds to the amount OF $780,
COO for street building purposes