The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-11-26

in business cannot afford to hold these
positions, take all the knocks and loss
of business, for the few dollars paid as
salaries.
The actual rock upon which the new
ship of state will founder is given as
the mill increase in the taxation rate.
Several large taxpayers have made the
statement that the raise in the tax levy
of Al mills will spell defeat for the
charter.
Section 10, Annual Tax Levy, was in
corporated into the charter upon the
recommendation of the city council
after figures had been presented show
ing that this raise was necessary for the
financial conduct of the city in later
years taking into consideration the
lowering of the valuations yearly and
the exhaustion of ore values.
However, the charter board made the
mistake in recommending this raise in
the mill rate by Incorporating the words
of the paragraph now in force into the
new document. The paragraph reads:
"a levy of not to exceed forty (40)
mills on the dollar of the arsessed valu-
alton of the City shall be made by the
Council on or before the tenth day of
October Of each year and the same shall
be entered upon the tax duplicate for
the County and collected with the
County and State Taxes"
This section sounds altogether diff
ferent from what the charter commits
sion anticipated. The intention brought
out in this discussion was to the effect
that the maximum, if needed, could be
AZ mills. The intention was not to give
carte blanche power to the council to
levy AZ mills but that the limit was
fixed at this figure in case that much
was needed, and that any amount up to
that figure could be levied to care for
the needs of the city. 1t was fully in
tended that the word may" would
take the place of the word shall"
interviewing taxpayers on this clause
brought out united opposition to the
charter as a whole and Section 10 of
Chapter XII in particular. The mining
interests are wholly opposed to the AZ
mill levy and the smaller property
owners of the city also object to the levy
as at present Incorporated in the new
charter.
Many individuals interviewed made a
sarcastic remark when told the city
council had recommended the rate.
They asked, Ibid it ever occur to the
council to cut down expenditures as a
means of making the 40 mills do and
not continually increase expenses and
raise the levy?"
The changes made in the matter of
the police commission seemed to meet
with the approval of those questioned.
The entire matter of police commits
sion was cut from the charter and the |
following substituted:
Section 1. Organization A police |
department is hereby established and
shall be maintained in the City Of Ely, |
consisting of Chief of Police and such |
other Police officers, Patrolmen, and |
employees as shall, from time to time,
be necessary for the preservation of |
peace and order for the protection of its
citizens and property. Chapter 299,
Laws Of 1929 and all acts amendatory
and supplementary thereto shall govern
as to all matters in said laws provided
for the same as though set out in this
charter.
Several months ago the City Council
voted for police commission under
the act above given Since that time
the appointment of the commission to
enforce the mandate has been awaited. Il
Mayor Banovetz, up to the present, has
not made the appointment of the three
commissioners.
The charter board after hearing the
opinion presented by City Attorney
Thomas j. Carey, though that the law
given was sufficient and the appoint
ment of the commission upon the vote
Of the council would cover the matter.
The police commission matter was
dropped entirely from the consideration 4
of the charter board. This was con-
Sidered the bugaboo of the charter when
presented to the voters in 1888.
The interviewer ran up against sew
eral touchy individuals when the Water
and Light Commission as embodied in
the new charter was preached. The
ma ority of those spoken to were in Ii
favor OF the commission for the water
and light department. Several had in
veStigated the affairs of the commits
sion at Virginia and were very much
enamored of the conduct Of the business
IN that city by the commission.