July 1Mth. 193,7.
<br />
<br /> same time curtail the floating debt at the banks $270,000°00, and nay off serial bonds amount-
<br /> lng to $~1,.50o.00~ Total curtailment of the City's indebtedness, $~21,500.00.
<br /> 2nd. We have reduced the tax rate on real and personal property, fifteen cents.
<br /> 3rd. Under our method of collecting back taxes, we have succeeded in collecting a total
<br /> of $91,056.29 in the first half of this year, which has ~een a great he~p in carrying out our
<br /> p~ogram. Work along this line has Just begun. -
<br /> If we can collect enough back taxes to finish ps~ing the floating debt, we can fur-
<br /> t~er reduce the tax rate, which will add to the value of every piece of re~l ~state in the
<br /> City. A low tax rat~ wfll help the City secure new industrie~ help the merchsLuts, and create
<br /> a demand for real estate. '
<br /> tth. We have instituted semi-annual tax collection, which has been a great help in avoid-
<br /> ing the necessity of mhorrow~ng money at this time of the year. This has proven a convenience
<br /> to the taxpayer, as well as beneficial to the City.
<br /> ~th. We have raised the pay of all policemen and Eiremen five per cent, street hands ten
<br /> per cent, a~d all other employees of the City who made less th~u ~1,500.O0 per annum, five per
<br /> cent;'and beginning in September of this year, the recent cut of six per cent in the school
<br /> teachers~ pay will be restored.
<br /> 6th. Owing tothe activities of the Police Department, and the heavy fines imposed on
<br /> law viola-~ors in the Police Court, moral conditions have shown a ma~ked improvement. Fines and
<br /> costs amounting to $10,907.00 have been collected during the first six months of this year,
<br /> which is a record~
<br /> ~1_~o Although we have a limited amount to spend on streets, by inducing the Works Pro-
<br /> gress Admtnzst~ation to furnish several carloads of free s~one, we have been able to improve
<br /> several streets in many sections of the City.
<br /> 8th. Hours of work have been reduced .from 8:30 A.M, to 5:30 P.M., one hour, making them
<br /> from 9:00 A.M. to ,
<br /> 5.00 P.M,, conforming to the office hours of the State andOounty,
<br /> 9th. A big improvement has been shown in the Police and Fire Department~, as.to loyalty
<br /> and se~ice.
<br /> lOth. Under our very efficient health officer, Dr. L~H. Denr~7, we have instituted free
<br /> vaccina-~n. The health condition of the City is very good.
<br /> llth. By re-arranging ~he Cemetery Fund, theOity is saving $1,500. per annum.
<br /> 12th. Where a City has a City CQllector, and the Treasurer renders no service to the City
<br /> proper~-~-~e State pays the whole salary. This will save the City $2,000.00 a year, without any
<br /> loss to the Treasurer.
<br /> ~. By eliminating from the payrolls some who were not rendering service commensurate
<br /> with the pay rece£ved, and abolishing some Jobs that were not needed, several thousand dollars
<br /> has been saved to the City~
<br /> 14tho we have retired, on pension, eleven employees w~o were physically incapacitated
<br /> and replaced them with younger men who are physically fit and are rendering good service.
<br /> ~ The Seaboard Air Line Railway brought suit before the Corporation Commission, ask-
<br /> ing for a reduction of approximately $25,O00~00 in taxes to the City° The City won this sui$
<br /> in Richmond, on June 2?tho
<br /> 16t~. We have ~negotiated with the Virginia Electric & Power Company an agreement which,
<br /> when consummated, will save the City $20,000~00 a year, for ten years. This, added to the
<br /> $3i,000.00, cost .of converting the pumping station into an electric plant, makes a total sav~
<br /> ing to the City of $23t,000~00.
<br /> ~ I am glad to report that the head'of each department is co-operating with me 100%;
<br />Mr. Parker of the Finance Department, Mr. Barclay of the Legal Department, Mr. Davis of the
<br />Water Department, Dr~ Denny of the Public Welfare Department, Engineer Haug of the Public Ser-
<br />vice Department, Mr. Brinson of the Auditing Deoartment, Mr. Btalock, Chief of Police, Mr.
<br />Alexander, Chief of the Fire Department, Mr. Matthews, City Electrician and Mr. Watson, Plumb-
<br />ing Inspector. I am glad to say that the morale of the employees who work in all of these
<br />various departments is splendid, and so far as I have been able to learn, each of them i~ do-
<br />ing his or her best to help us ~ the C~ty as it should bec
<br /> 18th. With assistance from the State and Federal governments, we are building an Armory,
<br />which i-~early half finishs&, and which would be a credit to a City much larger than Ports -
<br />mouth.
<br /> t_~. After prolonged negotiation, we h~ve secured permission from the Federal Govern
<br />merit to reconstruct the bridge leading tq the City Park, eliminating the draw. Plans and
<br />specifications are being prepared, after which bids will be asked.
<br /> ~Oth. The Telephone Committee appointed by the Council, consisting of Councilmen Hut-
<br />chlns,--~, Weiseman and the City Manager, have had a conference with the Telephone Company
<br />Superintendent, relative to reduction in rates. This conference was adjourned to meet again,
<br />after Portsmouth's Superintendent, Mr. Harrison, has had time to confer with the directors of
<br />t~he Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company.~
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mro Fox to receive and place same to record, was adopt'ed.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Fox~ of the Bus Greivance Committee, state~ that the Greyhound Bus Company
<br />is planning to establish a bus terminal in Portsmouth, and asked that they be allowed to change
<br />temporarily their bus station from the northwest corner of High and Middle Sts. to the south -
<br />east corner of High and Crawford Sis.
<br />
<br /> Motion of Mr. Fox that the Manager be authorized to make said change as a rem -
<br />porary measure, was adopted.
<br />
<br /> The following communication from theCity Attorney was read:
<br />
<br /> "In reference ~o the matters referred to me at your meeting held on June 22nd,
<br />I beg to report:
<br /> !st- The letter of A.K. Warren, Sro, relative to refund of personal property
<br />~ax:
<br /> It appears that on June l, 1937, Mr. Warren paid $2~63, personal pro -
<br />party tax for 193~. This tax was against~ his son and was not a charge against him. The clerk
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