Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-03-19
How the Money Goes.

The sum of $685. O0 nearly, besides poll
erty of this city for the past year; and the
tax payers would be glad to know for what
purpose. $4,000 of the above is used for
paying county, state and bond Indebtedness
the balance $23, 900 is used and squandered
at home. OF this sum the school board
through the city superintendent, demands
and obtains for school purposes the sum OF
Sl4,962, exclusive of 81, 463 received from
the state. making in the aggregate SIG, 425,
much larger sum than ever was required
before. For what purpose this extra amount
Is required may be inferred from the recon-
mendation of the city superintendent to
the city council last spring, where he states
that he wants $3.50 more for teachers than
the year before, although l understand the
number of teachers are the same. He also
requires S225 extra for Janitors, although
the mum Der is the same as last year. He
also requires $lo8 tor taking the school GEN.
~AS1 p" Aeh iOi hlOil1 II Was JdhCu lOE udll VI
that sum, and good responsible persons are
willing to take it for less than $50 Many
other items might be mentioned, but these
are sufficient for the present. When we re-
fleet that only about half of the schola in
the city are taught in the public schools,
the others are taught in private schools or
at home, or not at all, and the present ex-
pense is nearly $l5 to every child, the
people may well cry out when will this in
crease of public expense cease.
The next subject we wish to consider is
the city general and ward funds; how they
are expended and who is responsible for
their bad management. Let not the pres
ent board of street commissioners be alto
together blamed for the present difficulties
that surround US. One half of the council
which resigned last April, voted with the
present incumbents, to levy the present tax,
which is so much complained of The truth
is the present board, good honest souls, are
too often mised by trying to follow in the
voted the peoples money on unworthy OBJ
jects, and to serve a friend. 1t matters but
little to them whether there are funds on
hand or not, they most always vote yes,
No one doubts their honest intention to
serve friend and starve city. One more
thing we should remember in praise of the
present board. How readily they sacrificed
their time and money to go to Madison to
enlighten the concentrated wisdom of the
state, upon the grievances of our bond rid
den city. Old A tlas when he stopped to take
this mundane sphere upon his shoulders,
never felt half the responsibility that some
of our city Fathers do on our city indebted
ness. One other thing the present board is
accused of which | think is very unjust
They say they are fond of ''pets," Some
pet the Gas Co and never vote against their
accounts no matter how unjust or absurd
Others have their pet supervisors of streets
who spend much of their time and the
wards money in pulling TIE May weed and
tufts of grass from the cutters and throwing
them into the center of the street, 10 Mead
amize the same. 1t is a great improvement
on expenditures, if not upon streets. Nc
Adam if he should rise from the dead and
see the modern method of improving our
streets would hide his head in disgust.