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Show THE CITY TAX LEVY. Tho City Council, at its meeting on Thursduy evening, fixed tho municipal tax levy at fifteen mills on tho dollar; that is, a dollar and a half tax on each one hundred dollars of property as as-scssscd. as-scssscd. Tho lovy for tho past five years hns been thirteen hiills annually The inercaso is explained by tho Com-mittoo Com-mittoo on Estimates and Apportionment and by the Mayor as made necessary through tho obligatory changes iu the water mains and pipo service. A large addition to these is compulsory because of tho great growth of the city and its extension in various directions, especially espe-cially on tho north bench and in the southeastern part of tho city, of the population and new dwelling houses. A notable portion of this increase is mado also by reason of tho municipal improvements and grading streets. The heaviest additional expense allowed to any department, as Mayor Bransford explained, was to tho waterworks department, de-partment, and the amount is $114,220-This $114,220-This amount has been expended iu lowering low-ering water mains on Third South from Sfato to Tenth East, in consequence of the paving of tho street for that distance, dis-tance, and on Ninth East from South Temple to a point below Eloventh South, and on First avenuo. These expenditures, ex-penditures, as the Mayor explained, had not been provided for in tho estimates furnished by tho former City Engineer to tho Council. Nevertheless they wore expenditures that had to bo made in order to provido for the growth and improvement of the city. Mayor Bransford set forth, candidly and forcefully, that ho ha,d used all diligence, dil-igence, by personal plea and otherwise, to tho members of tho Council, to be careful with appropriations; that ho had informed them personally time and time again that the city must keep within the funds at its disposal; and ho congratulated con-gratulated tho Council and the heads of tho various departments upon the fact that they had done this; and he added with businessliko candor that carried confidence in his position, that ho did not believe that one dollar had been unnecessarily spent in any dopartruent. We believe that the intelligent opinion opin-ion of this city, disconnected from pro-julico pro-julico and political bias, will emphatically emphat-ically support the Mayor in his position. posi-tion. Salt Lake is a growing city. There is an immensity of work going on all the time, both public and private pri-vate The increasing population has to bo supplied with water. The water mains havo to be- enlarged. The pipe service has to be increased. There is no shirking the responsibility of providing pro-viding ample water for tho people. No one wants to shirk it, least of. all tho Mayor and tho American adininistra tion generally. They aro .glad to see the city grow, and they are delighted to bo obliged to provide those additional addi-tional facilities for tho increasing population. pop-ulation. It is a source of pride to them that the city is growing under their administration, ad-ministration, and it is a joy and pride also to every loyal citizen of Salt Lake. There was no increase in tho city tax levy that is not absolutely explainable as necessary and thoroughly defensible The contingent fund, which is the general gen-eral expense account, is still kept below be-low the five mill limit provided by law. The increase is in the specific and special spe-cial benefit class, for which all should bo glad to provide. In fact, every well meaning citizen of Salt Lake should be glad to see that the need is urgent for this incrensed expenditure, because it means that the city administration adminis-tration is simply keeping pace in its necessaiy expenditures on specific and beneficial accounts, with the advanco of population and the growth of this municipality. |