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Anril 28th. 19~
<br />
<br /> 59--t18 - The following communication from the Commissioner of Revenue was read:
<br />
<br /> "Please be advised that Dorothy Hall was assessed for tangible personal propertyvalued
<br />at$770.00~ with taxes amounting~to $21.18. The assessment in question pertains to an automobile which wasnot
<br />owned by her on January 1, 1958. Ourinvestigation reveals that the .correct assessment should have been
<br />$400.00 with taxes amounting to $11.00, representing an over-assessment intaxes amounting to $10.18.
<br /> The taxpayer has paid theorigiual tax of $21.18 plus penalty and interest of $1.17
<br />as evidenced by her receipted tax hill #6167. As this is definitely an over-payment of $10.18, w~ trust that
<br />a refund c~ this amount plus penalty and interest paid on it be made to the taxpayer."
<br />
<br /> On motion of Mr. Breedlove, said refand was placed on first reading, without dissenting
<br />vote~
<br />
<br /> 59-119 - Mr. Jerome Carr, representing the Portsmouth Library Board, spoke, requesting
<br />the City to use every effort to acquire the Post Office Building on Court Street, for library purposes and he
<br />presented statement of the Library Board, concerning this acquisition.
<br />
<br />On motion filed.
<br />
<br />59-120 - Mr. Walker presented the following resolution:
<br />
<br />"WHEREAS, the cost of public welfare in the City of Portsmouth has become
<br />unbearable, increasing year after ~ear during.~he plentiful as well as the
<br />le~m times as indicated, by the following:
<br />
<br /> Expended 1954 - 1955 -
<br /> 1955 - ~1956 -
<br /> 1956 - 1957 -
<br /> 1957 - 1958 -
<br />Appro. 1958 - 1959 -
<br /> 1959 - 1960 -
<br />
<br />Until, at
<br /> All
<br /> All
<br /> All
<br />
<br /> ALl
<br /> AIl
<br /> ALl
<br /> All
<br /> ALl
<br />
<br /> 754,582.17
<br /> 849,724.97 (an increase of $75,142.80)
<br /> 886,376.33 "
<br /> 36:651.36
<br />898,498.88 " 12,122.55
<br />1~038,587.00 J' "140, ~88.12
<br />1,107,187.00 " " " 68,600.00
<br />
<br />the present date,
<br />legislative functions (Council, etc.
<br />
<br />it equals more'than the 1959-60 appropriations
<br /> 16,813.00
<br />
<br />executive functions (Manager, Clerk,etc.)
<br />legal functions
<br />judicial functions ('Courts, jail, etc.)
<br />Finance functions
<br />health~'deparment functions
<br />recreation functions
<br />boards and commissions
<br />miscellaneous expenses
<br />
<br />Nearly 1/6 of the entire budget, and
<br />
<br />19,780.00
<br />15,965.00
<br />228,781.00
<br />397,466.00
<br />144,037.00
<br />110,749.00
<br />40,050.00
<br />37,770.00
<br />
<br />%1,011,411.00
<br />
<br /> WHEREAS, the Council of the Cily of Portsmouth has, for several years, con -
<br /> cerned itself with the annual growth of the welfare budget and has spent many
<br /> hours in the search for a way to halt and reverse the trend, and
<br /> WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Portsmouth in session on 11 March 1958,
<br /> with full public support, did arbitrarily reduce the total amount of the welfare
<br /> section of the budget by $50~000.00, and.
<br /> V;HEREAS, this attempt to reduce the over-all budget did not result in a reduction,
<br /> the welfare section of the 1958-59 budget showing an increase and, if welfare
<br /> spending continues thru the remaining months of the year at its average .monthly
<br /> rate of $88~168.03, there will bean expenditure over appropriations of $46,408.?5,
<br /> and
<br /> WHEREAS, the standards, qualifications and degree of necessity required for admis-
<br /> sion to the welfare rolls, the investigations prior ~o admission, and the surveil -
<br /> lance necessary to prevent fraud, are not subject to economic conditions, ability,
<br /> or willingness of the public expressec[ through their elec.ted representatives, and
<br /> WHEREAS, an increasing number of admittances to the welfare rolls are recent ar -
<br /> rzvals from outside the City, coming in large number from surrounding counties,
<br /> cities and States, drawn by the ease of admittance to the welfare rolls and the
<br /> availability of other related relief organizations suck as unemployment compensa-
<br /> tion, and free hospital and clinical services, and
<br /> WHEREAS, this major increase in the welfare rolls and expenditures is undermining
<br /> the fiscal solvency of the city and is detrimental to the morals of not only the
<br /> recipients but to all the citizens, and
<br /> WHEREAS, it is the belief of this Council that welfare, large or small, should be
<br /> administered and accompanied by the loving hand of God and the help of all religious
<br /> and SOcial organizations and individuals, such help being not desired, but rather
<br /> frowned upon ~ by the Welfare Department; and believing that the prime purpose of
<br /> any social welfare .is to help the recipient return to his or her rightful place in
<br /> the community and in their own self-esteem, and
<br /> WHEREAS, the records indicate that present remote-controlled, self-perpetrating,
<br /> bureaucratic organizations for social servzce result in a permanent and growing dole,
<br /> therefore
<br /> BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Portsmouth requests its representa-
<br /> tives in the Assembly of Virginia and the Congress of the United States to take
<br /> continaing legislative action necessary to return the control of all phases of
<br /> welfare (Virginia Pablic Assistance) to the local level where the end results .are
<br /> the most important aspect, and
<br /> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a cop~ of this resolution be provided all legislators
<br />from the Tidewater area and to ~he councils of Norfolk, Sou~h Norfolk, Suffolk and
<br />
<br />
<br />
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