Minutes 01/25/1955 - Laserfiche WebLink

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January ~Sth, 1955. Motion of Mr Howard to concur in the 'eco~endation of the City NLanager was adopted. 55-9 - 'I submit the attached statement from 'E E Weddle and Harry E. Kerlin f~rr the appraisal work of the Norfolk County Schools in cOnnection with the City's annexation case. I recommend that the sum of $600.00 bo placed, on its firs~ reading for the payment of the invoice." Motion of Mr. Bilisoly ~o place ns appropriation of $600.00 onfirst reading, for said purpose, was adopted. 55-10 - "I Submit the attached letter from P.O'S. Foster, Clerk Of This is for your considerstios." Attached - she Civil and Police Court. "Under date of October 28th, i954, we wrote you as £ollow~: We would thank you to kindly arrange for Section 17-55 of the City Code, concerning the carrying l of concealed weapons, to be amended to conform with' Title 18-146 of the Code of Virginia,to show that, in addition to the fi~e ef net less than $20.00 or more than $100.00, to carry a jail senteace of not m~re tha~ six months." We are i~formed that such an ordinance m~as put ~n first rea~ing at the I~st meeting of the CoUncil ~nd s~me provides for Such weapons "he forfeit~=d and ~old". The State law i~ p~urt reads, as fello~s: ~-- 'Sach pistol, dirk~ bowie-knife, razor, slungshot, merci ~ks, orweapon of like kind~ shall, by ~rder of the C~urt, er Justice he forfeited to the Commonwealth snd m~y be seized by any officer ms forfeited, ~ such as m~y be needed for poli~e officers mad conservators of the peace shall' be devoted te that p%Lrpose, ~ the r~mainder ~s~ll be d~stro y~d by the office~vin~ them in chsrge'. Judge CassoI'l ~bj~ctm te weapoms of tb2is kind being'sold a~cording to the pro- visions of the proposed ~ended ordi~e, particulsrly for the reason thst he fears that the smme will ~et in tko wr~ng b-~s or te perso~s with criminal intention. Therefore, the J~dg~ f~Is ~ so recommends tkat the erdin~ce conform with Titl~ 18-148 COds of Virginia ss to disposition after forfeiture." On mo/ten filed. 55-11 "I ~bmit the attached Department of Public Welfare budget for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 1956. I rec~mm~ad that it be given tentative approval in order thst it may be submitted re the State Department of Welfare and InStitutions for their Comsidera~ion and approval." ~tion of ~r. Howard that the budget be tentativaly approved, was adopted - ~ir. Baker voting~No'. 55-1~ - "I s~omit the attached suendm~nt to the License Tsx Ordinance sa%d Deco--end that it be plased on its first rea(LinE." "AN ORDI/~ANCE TO A$~END TItS LICENS]~ TAX ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORTSMOUT~ BY ADDING ~ A NEW SECTION KNOWN AS SECTION t0-B, CHAPTEE III~ Imposing AN ANNUAL LICENSE TAX ON GROSS RECEIPTS FRO~/ LOCAL TELEPHONE SERVICE~' ~tion of Fir. Bilisoly to suspe~ the rmLes to hear fr~m~ Seahern J. Flournoy, was adopted. Mr. Flournoy sP~ke relative to 2he telephone t~x. Notion of Mr. Howard to lay the ordinance on tl~e table for further study, was adopted.. 55-13 - Section $-II of the Charter and Code of the City of Portsmouth 1951 reads as follows: 'The Council shall at the first reffalar ~e~ting in January of each year or as soon thereafter as practicable, adopt a tax ordinance which shall specify the amount of per annum tax which is to be levied upon the real and personal property and upon persons within the City for the said year. In accordance with the above, I have prepared an ordinance for your considera- tion. Before presenting it, I would like to make the following observations: At the public b~aring held January 4, 1955, it was apparent that all present conceded the need for additional revenues to operate the schools and other de- partments of the City Government. There was a difference of opiaion as to what methods should be used to secure more revenue. It was mentioned that a head tax in the amount of $5.00 or ~i0.00 per person be assessed against all citizens over 21 years of age and under 65. I have ascertained from the Commissioner of Reven~e that there were 53,602 persons assessed for polI tax for the current year. Section 173 of the Virginia Constitution reads in part as follows: 'The General Assembly may aufhorize the Board of Supervisors of any County or the Council of any City o3e Town to levy an additional capitation tax not ex- ~eeding $I.00 per annum on every such resident within its limits to be applied to City, Town or County p~rposes.' This may or may net limit the amount that you can assess to $I.00. Our City Attorney will have to rule on that qnestio~. The q~estion of raising the rate of le~y on real estate was also discussed at the hearing as well as re-appraisal of ail real estate within the city limits. Some of the ~uggestions for increasing the revenue could be put into effect by city ordinance and others would require an amendment to the City Charter or State Code. My recommendation is that all tangible property and machinery snd tools be assessed according to State Law'. I have made no mention as to what method should be followed in making the assessments; however, Section 169 of the Constitution of the State of Virginia reads in part as follows: