|
April 16, 1918
<br />
<br /> On motion, the report was adopted. . and in this conuection, the privilege of the floor was
<br />granted to Chas. p. Harper, the Czty s arbitrator in the water matter.
<br /> 2~. Harper reported that the Water Oompany's arbitrator and h~mse!fhad met April !Sth
<br />at l0 o'clock a:~E., and would report progress on the water situation.
<br /> He asked authority to employ such helD as may be needed to check un the Scofield Enginemr-
<br />lng Company's reports a~ to q~antity and quality of material. -
<br /> 0n motion, the matter was referred to the Special ~ater Committee with power to
<br />
<br /> The following reports were received from the City Manager:
<br />
<br /> 1st. He presented an ordinance
<br />requiring every dealer in ice to have at his place of business or upon his wagon delivering ice
<br />to customers suitable scales for weighing same.
<br /> On motion, s~me was ordered to lie on the table until the ne~t meeting of the body and
<br />re~erred to the Department of Law ~ud City Attorney for approval.
<br />
<br /> 2nd. He asked for ~Lspecial appropriation of $1,800. for purchase of asphalt, and same
<br />was referred to the Finance Department.
<br />
<br /> 3rd. He stated that he had received estimates for painting houses in the CiSy Cemeteries
<br /> and whitewashing the walls of the Cemeteries, and asked that an appropriation of $330. be allow-
<br /> ed for the work.-
<br /> 0n motion, same was allowed, and by the following vote:
<br /> Ayes-- Claud, Culpepper~
<br /> Deans, Hanvey, Herbert, Wright~ 6.
<br />
<br /> *th. The City Manager presented the following resolution, which was referred to the Spec-
<br /> ial ~ater Co~ittee EO~ i~estzgation and report:.
<br /> "V~hereas, Your City Manager has been in close
<br />touch with the water situation~ and is in possession of information of value to the City's in-
<br />teres~ at this time, and
<br />
<br /> "~hereas, It is necessary to negotiate and confer with private parties interested in the
<br />water supply in this vicinity,
<br />
<br /> "Therefore, Be It Resolved, That the City ~anager be and is hereby authorized and empower-
<br />~d to negotiate terms with any or all parties.' · ~
<br /> _ mn~ereste~ in the water supply~ including ~nici-
<br />palities, gorp~rations or the Goverrnv. ent, and to engage the services of technical experience
<br />necessary' to safeguard the City's interest, provided the cost of sa~e does not exceed the sum
<br />of ~l,000~ and to report his negotiations to the city Co~eil from tine to time at any call
<br />or regular meeting, for consideration s~d action by the City Co~cil."
<br />
<br />(P~esent Mr. B~u~ting)
<br />
<br />U~INISHED BUSIneSS
<br />
<br /> Reports of certain Officers for the month of March, 1918, were presented and were ordered
<br />to take the usual course.
<br />
<br /> The License Tax Ordinance for the Tear 1918-!9, ordered to lie on the table April 9th,
<br />was taken up and read.
<br /> The Privilege of the floor was granted to Mr. C. F. Bonney, Dm~trmct Nanager ~of The Ches-
<br />apeake & Potomac Telephone Co., to make a statement with reference to tax on telephone companies.
<br /> Then the Ordinance was adopted, as amended, as follows:
<br />
<br /> 0RDiNA~CES FOR IMPOSING ~D COLLECTING TAXES ON ~ICENSES, REAL ESTATE, PERSONAL PROPERTY
<br />AND B~NES WI~IN THE CIT!- OF PORTSMOUTH FOR ~Y~AR BEGINNING ~lY l, 1~18.
<br />
<br /> Be it ordained by The Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia, That for the Year begin-
<br /> !~lS, and thereafter until annulled by ordinance, the following occupations, acts
<br />ning ~a~ i, o
<br /> and busmness transactions sb~ll be deemed privileges and shall not be pursued or done within
<br /> the limits ~o~ said city of Portsmouth, without payment of a license tax therefor, and the license
<br /> tax thereon shall be paid e~nualty, unless otherwise specifically directed, and as .follows:
<br />
<br /> On every license to a merchant or mercantile firm there shall be paid a specific license
<br />tax of $10.00 and an additional tax of 10 per cent. on the ~al rental value of the place of
<br />business.
<br />
<br /> Merchan~ tailors~ lu~ber merchants, f~niture merchants, butchers, green grocers, huck-
<br />sters and dealers in coal, ice, wood or soft ~rinks shall be embraced in this section.
<br />
<br /> The tax hereby imposed shall be in lieu of all tax upon capital actually e~ployed by said
<br />merchant or mercantile firm in sai~ business, and shall be paid when the license is issued.
<br />
<br /> Every merchant, firm or corporation applying for a license shall be required to produce
<br />a bona fide rent receipt, agreement or check, showing the amount of rent paid per month or year
<br />by him or them; and, if, in the judgme~ of the Cormui~sioner of the Revenue,.he.or they a~e seek-
<br />ing to evade the !tax by not producing the proper recempt, then the said Com~zssioner shall refuse
<br />to grant him or them the required license until he shall have investigated the application there-
<br />for in order to ~scertain the ~rue ~m~o~ of~J~en%~l pa~d'by~said applicant.
<br />
<br /> If the merchant, firm or ?or,oration applying for a license ovm the place of b~siness,
<br />and~ in the judgment of the Commmssmoner of the Revenue, he Or they do not put a proper rental
<br />value on the property the s~id Commissioner shall have authority to investigate and ascertain
<br />the true rental ~alue of such property before grahting the application.
<br />
<br />Each commission merchant,
<br />
<br /> ~ertili~ing companies, manufacturing or selling, their r~presentatives or agents b~ying
<br />t materma! to resell or manipulate, but to sell on con~r~ssion..
<br />
<br />267
<br />
<br />
<br />
|