Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-04-29
The CITY BUDGET.
Necessity for Prompt and Decisive Action
Upon the Part of the Council.

TO me Edjor of he DlspGich
The Council seems to have gotten pretty
well tangled up on the Appropriation
budget. From newspaper reports and from
what have heard from the members of
that body the history of the case is about
this. As was their duty the Committee on
Finance made up the annual budget and
reported it TO the council GOwer branch
Here it was amended by adding on some
S65.O00 over and above the estimated in
come of the city. as reported by the COM
mittee. The ordinance aS amended went
to the Board OF Aldermen. who. not alto
gether satisfied, rereferred it to the Finance
Committee. see by the papers that tho
committee reported back tho matter as
originally presented with Immaterlal alter
ations, not. however, increasing the amount
formerly appropriated.
When thls came up IN the Board at its
regular meeting the papers report that 1t
was land on tho table How lOngit Will re-
main there is one Of those things that no
fellow can tell. Certain IL is that unless
there should be called meeting before
that time it will rest quietly until the Sc
coud hOnlav in May. the regular meeting
night of the Board. Then, should it pass.
the lower branch will have 10 act on It, aud
if il pass through there unscathed It VIII
have 10 ne enrolled and meet the Mayors
approval. and so no creditor Of the city
will be- able to get his money until some
time IN June. As the city owes me nothing
am not pecuniarily interested IN the mat
ter, but do not like 10 see the far name
of our city tarnishcd. All improvements,
"a understand the matter, but the new
CITY Hall, have necessarily to be stopped.
FOR that building tne appropriations are
not exhausted, and work will be continued
there for awhile longer.
Everything else has TO give way 70 the
ideas or whims Of those members OF tho
Council who are obstructlng the progress
Of improvements IN opposing the budget.
If this idea Of spending moro than you
receive IS 20 prevail the consequence, as
will easily be seen. Will be 20 increase the
already large floating debt tO an un-
manageable extent. I feel sure that no
member OF tho Council would carry this
idea OF increasing expenditures above re-
ceipts into their private business, Orif they
did they would soon find that they would
have no margin e. figure on.
Gentlemen Of the Council this is very
serious matter, and Tor one ! beg that you
stop and look the question squarely IN the
face as purely business prOpositlOn-re-
call your action and let the work OF the
city 20 on. Ii Is a serious matter, and de-
serves 20 be carefully considered by those
who are supposed 10 Oe the servants OF the
people. but some OF whom seem 10 regard
the position as reversed when they are put
into power. Had your constituents known
Of this state OF affairs before the late pr.
mary some of you might have been called
on for somo sort Of explanation rs to how
far YOU were involved in 1t. and possibly
IL might have been hard question 20 get
around or over. The regular election IS
now near at hand and you know not what
advantage an unwearylng adversary VIII
reap from Il.
Our city's credit is now good, and her 1
per cent. bonds are selling at a premium,
but if you are 10 60 so deeply in debt az
some Of YOU seem 10 desire your bonds VIII
be unstable at any reasonable figure. 10
NAV not be too late now 10 remedy this
state Of affairs. You know best, and II
there is wey TO do it ] trust that you Will
al once apply the corrective. [ would urge
YOU to take early steps TO put this matter
into proper shape, and let the work OF the
several departments 90 on,
There is another consideration which
should impel you TO action, and 1t IS this
The terms of some who were not returned
will soon expire, and you will have no op-
portunity to spend dollar Of this years
money unless you get ct it pretty quick.
write IN no spirit Of fault-hnding. but
merely as one who loves the place of his
habitation. HILL