Minutes 06/12/1928 - Laserfiche WebLink

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June Trusting that we may be accorded your favorable consideration in this matter, we Very t~ly yours, DAVID PENDER GROCERY By L. Lockwood, Treasurer.~ On motion of ~ir. Oas~,~the reouest wa~ not granted, and the Clerk was instructed to notify the ssid Company ~hat Council does n6t deem it advisable to make said refund. $~5. i A bill.was read~f~o~.~K. Henderson to amount of $25.00, for services in defending Charles sP.aDPJacob in th~ ~ourt o~ nu~nos, approved by Judge K. A~ Bain. On motion of Nr. Oast, a special appropriation of $25.00 was allowed to pay said bill. The following petition was read: ~29 Nay 1928 PETITION TO THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY-OF PORTSNOUTH~ VIRGINIA: An appeal is made to you over the decision of the City Ean~ger, that officers and enlisted men attached to the Navy Yard residing in the~city of Portsmouth shall purchase a city license to operate an automobile. As you will note, this rulizg exempts officers residing in the con-~ fines of the Navy Yard, and also'those residing in Crmdock or Norfolk. It i~ appreciated that the City Ean~ger has no control o~er the latter.' But th~ question arises- why does he arbi- trarily select the~ greu~ residing in Portsmouth,~where~s he exempts the group residing in the Navy Yard? The City Eanager has a correct legal right for insisting that those residing in the city shall pay the tax~ That p~int is not Guestioned. He states that he is without power to remove the discriminatory feature of his ruling as he, can not tax those living in the Navy Yard, since they do not live in Portsmouth. This ruling does not seem to be entirely sound, for if the N~vy Ys~rd is not in the city-of Portsmouth it is not in the state of Virginia~ How- ever, it is noted that the ~tate of Virginia requires all residents of the Navy Yaxd to provide their ca~s with Virgini~ ticense~tags. ~ So much for the discriminatory features of the City ~anager~s action. Officers attached to the N~v~ Yard'reside in several places, inc~v~ng~ .the ~ity of P?rts~ mouth;.the ~city of NorfOlk; C~adock; and in the Navy Yard° ~f these a~eren~ groups we which is m~ desirable eco~mic~lly to the city of Port.smout~. The City Council, being inmeres~- ed in the ~elfare'of the community collectively and indmvidually, can readily see that we who live within the corporate limits of the city of~Portsmouth are worth far more financially to the city thaa ~uy other group~ Still we s.ve singled out for taxation. The next group.of importance to the city are those residing in the N~vy Yard. Following are only a few of the pMofessions and business men who do ~not profit from the residence of officers and enlisted men in the Navy Yard; doctors,dentists; ice corporation; telephone, electric light and gas complies; prbvision merchants; and miscellaneous building trades. Cradockresidents are of little importance to the city of Portsmouth, and those residing i~ Norfolk .~re practically of no importance ~in~ucial- ly to your community. We feel that instead of being s~ngled out for t~xation~ we~ the group that resides in the city of Portsmouth, should be the-group to be exempt from the city taxation. The Ea~agement of the city of Norfolk has seen fit to grant to all Naval officers and en- listed men attached to the N~val Base, the courtesy of being exempt from the city automobile tax. We urge that the City Council see their ~ay clear to extend that courtesy to officers attached~tothe Navy Yard. T~is community~ the community of Hsmpton Roads~ has ideal facilities for shipping and manufacture, ~ud improved r~ilro~d facilities, but the section is more poorly advertised than other sections of the country with fewer facilities. Very few of us ~re Vir- ginians. We come from many corners of the country. We~sk you to con~ider the value 6f ou~ good will~ Isn't it possible that for a few dollars g~rnered in taxes you will do se expense of this good will? Is it worth it?~ that is for you to decide. We all recognize that we should pay our just obligations to the community ~n wn~cn we are tempgrar~y r~s~a~no. The Co~uoil, however, is asked to view this cltytax in the light of the already heavy taxation now re,ting on automobile o~ers. Practical~y.s~!~l of us come from states with much more moderate ~utomobile taxation, ~ud we feel seriousl~ the'~burden of your ts~xation. Commencing July first we pay the ~ive cents per gallon t~x on g~a01ine,~ so that the average c~r will cost approximate- sixty dollars per year for~the privilege of operating on Virginia roads. ~e ask you to con- side~ exempting ~lt Naval Officers from this tax,. in line with the policy of the city of Nor- folk. We are net askir~g cha~ity~ We ~rs~askinK ~you to look on the exe~ption as an investment. ~e traveI widely, and it would be advantageous to have us feel k~ndly to the community rather than contr~iwise. For the Navkl Officers on duty at the Norfolk Navy Yard and U. S. Naval Hospital who reside in the City of Portsmouth, Va. J. A. Byrne, Lt. Comdr. H. E. St~ngele, Lt. Christie, Lieut. Alfre~ de Greet ~o~ler.~' On motion of Er. Eayo, the Clerk wasinstruoted to answer the oommunicatio~ and say upon advice of the City Attorney that neither the Cit~ Council nor the City Eanager has dis- cretionary power in this matter, as there is a City ordinsnce in effect on the subject, the Council can not grant them exemption from said license On motion, the followir~ communication was referred to the City Attorney and City Esn~ger: