Detroit R L Polk City Directory 1856 - JewishGen KehilaLinks

with the resources df the sinking fund, and it is tny confiilent belief that bv the year
1870 we shall be in a condition to call in all our pre!srmt indettedoeas, which 'shall illen
be outstantli~lg.
State~~~e~lt No. 4 shows tllat we have paid, the past year $22,630 84 of interest,
011 our f~incled debt, with a Ijalance on hand of $9,005 '15 to rneet the interest due
the 1st inst. and fallir~g due itr April, Ma)- and duly next.
It is, perhaps, i)ropeIb her(: to stat^ that tho interest on the botlds payable ir~ the citt.
of Now York is paid bv the Ohio Life Insurance arid Tn~t Company, with whom
arr;lllgen~e~lts have been* beex] made for that pu rp~a{~. 'Ulo bontls maturing the 1st of
June next should be presented tht?~~, also for payment. They are made payable, however,
at the H:tnk of Atnerica, in New York.
Statat~leat No. 8 s11otva tlru oon(1itio11 of tl~a ge~~ornl road fitntl. The deficit in tllis
fund was caused by the pavil~g of the upper e~ld of Michignu avenue, for which nt>
estimate had been previously made, et~il aiao by paving- assesn~ents assessed to the occup:mts
of the fieminar~- lot, but for which, it sabsuqoentl y appeared, they were not
lie. The estinlates bf last ycaar for paving in front of, nna adjacerit to, city property,
were $6,53'7 00, whcreils llie actual cost of the same amoonts to the &urn of $10,368
'70 creating a deficit ia tlli. item alone of $3,828 '10.
Stateluent No. 17, of the General Fund : Notwitlistandillg the very liberal estimates
made for tliis Fund last Sprillg, it will be perceived that it ha8 failed to meet all
tlrc liabilities chargoable to it? there being a deficit of $2,091 61. This has been
(..ansed partlr by an increase in the salanes of the City officers, the expenditure of
planking th; vegetable market, ant1 1-arious other itetrls of expenditures which were
not antic.ipated at the time tlir estitllates were n~:ide. Add to this, also, a deficit in
the anticipated receipts, arisit~q from the non-payment of stall rents 197 most of the
butcllors in the old addition t; tlre City Hall Market, amounting to the sum of $7'75.
Also, from unpaid stall rents clue from butchers in the new market, arnounticg to
$522 50, and also, from a11 increase in the return of delinquent taxes. Still, the deficit
in tl~is fund may be considered as merely temporary, as most of tlie nmo~~nt due for
stall rents will soon be pdd, md t,lie amo~int which shall be realized fro111 the tax rrlry
which will take place soon, will, it is believed, make up the present deficit.
Statetnent No 52 sho\~s how the tax of 1855 was appropriated, and also the dift'erence
in the amount of tarstiotl as colllpared with 1851, and showing an increase in
one year of $44,698 71. Thifirwas by far :l greeter increase than was ever hefore
k~ro~rn in any one year, io tlris c~ty, and wa5 severely felt by the tax-payers.
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In tho matter of taxation, thew sl~ould ~lot be such an inc,rease in any oue year as
ti) malie it a burden upon those who have thern to pay. To a gradual and proportionate
increase, having doe regard to the wants of the public, no coo~munity will demur;
and it will be my aim, iu bringingforward the estimates for the ordinary expenditures
of the city government, for the ensuing year. to endea~or to reduce, lather than increase,
the amount compared. wihll last year. The best goverxrinent is that which gives equal
protection to rll? and cousutnes, for its own maintenance? the s~llallest amount of the
earnings of ib constituents. The tax payers of the city of Detroit pa?- willingly and
liberally for every service readered by their agentp, and they only ask a fsir equivalent
for the money exacted of them, and this they have a right to demand. Respectfully
submitted.
CHARLES PELTIER, City Compkdler.