Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-03-06
TEaKISG ~ 40 piEUEs,
Lamcn.. 81 IN, riuaooo Commi toes ra
tliu Htsa

fltAHteH
n prominent citizen who has given
some attention to tho subject nf municipal
finances, and wlrO has knuwludzo gained
from experience OF tho resources aud 10.
ccpts Of tho city and it's necessary eSpen.
ditures, was found In his tliiuo this
morning figuring upon the statement OF
" estimated receipts aud expenditures of
lhe city Of Lancaster for tho fiscal year
ending May, 81, 1885" made IN councils
last evening by MIR. Eyans finance COM
mittce
81 am glad to soe," said he, "thaJ
there ia u slight increase In the valuation
of the oity property, which is now valued
at Sl2, 100, ,00C, whereas last year 1t was
little less. | atu of the opinion that II tho
tinauco committee had tho nerve u equal
ize tho assessments, tho valuation could
10 fairly increased To fourteen or titoen
millions, the city tax would thCn Dear
equally On all aud a uiuo mill tax rate
would be sufficient to meet Tho wants of
tho city.
But" inquired tho reporter, "the
committee figures out that nino mill rato
will provide for tho expenditures ?'
80 1t docs" was tho answer, "but
Chairman Evans, of tho committee knows
very well that this is not So aud ho has
iuggled with tho figures to hide tho actual
necessity OF increasing the city tax TO
eleven mills or OF plunging the city into a
morass Ct deficiencies. floating debts, etc.
during the next year"
Being urged TO explain how this could
be shown the gentleman went on 60 explain:
"To begin with, in tho o-timatcd receipts
Of the city a., 900 are set down for market
| rents this Is too high by at least 5000
the market committees report Of last
| year shows tho receipts wore 80 $50 IA,
\ ,n,p,u4,pF, ,F IA.
| private markets tho tendency is toward n
| reduction OF tho receipts from the city
market houses. al, 300 is tho estimated
rent of city property but since tho post
| office is vac itCd and after II will b5 used
| for city purposes, thin item will have to be
cut down ut least $500"
| "On the expenditures siia uf tho
balance sheet $3S, $40 is allowed for inter.
cst--on loans, but if S2S, 900 is 20 be
borrowed, as the committee suggests, to
pay for the new steam pump the interest
on that loan will have to provided for
but that may not fhli due until next year
One Of the biggest bIurdeIs in tho esti
mate is tho allowance of but g. 100 for
principal on Ions rs required by law
when tho law requires one mill on tho
valuation, which would Sl2, ljO. In 1879
sll, 800 WAS appropriated for this purpose
in 1880 the itom was 81, 800 ia 1881 it
was sll,5 800 in 1882, II 500, and in 1888
it was $4,000. This year Il Is cut down
1900 without explanation aud ia plain
conuavention OF law"
For streets the committee reports
$1,000 ; tho street commissioner reports
IS, 9O2. 10 spent last year for grading and
gathering the committee allows SO, 500,
while Lsvan expended, according to his
report, sl0,SSI 25-the Lord knows We
: can never get along with less street i'm
provements than wo have had this past
I year-practically none and yet the com
} mittee's estimate Is nearly 5000 below
last years expenses. II the water works
general last year cost SlO, ,j4l.16, as Supt.
Halbach reports, how are the constantly
Increasing expenses of that department to
he met next year with an apprOpTia
; tiOn of $1,000? The lamp committee,
! after asking for a. 400 from another
e appropriation, To be- applied to light
ing the streets this year. say they will
be IS, 300 short AZ the end of the year ; the
finance committee estimatGR only $4,000
. for this deficiency how is the other 81 300
0 To be met ? $4,000 IS estimated for light
! ing the city next year, but II the electric
) light company is to be paid SIC, 800, the
q gasoline or gas lamps cost -, 800, aud other
\ city lighting 81 200. how is a total of s23,'
900 to be paid with 10000? Ii the fire
u department. general, with an approprIa.
S ton OF 6, 800 i'll the past year, incurred d
deficiency of s3, 200, how is it TO get along
u with 1900 the coming year? There is q
d certainty of large deficiency in THU
n itom."
"a report with such inaccuracies a.
these, amounting to over $50, 600, is uttor
:, ly worthless. The truth ID distorted o
concealed for purpose. Councils should
q yentilate 1t before the ordinance tiXiug tn,
appropriations is passed"