Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-27
GROWTH OF EXPENDITURES

| As has been too often the case during
the past few years, the beginning of March
is close at hand and the appropriation or
dinance is not yet reported to Councils. 1t
is natural thought that no measure
would be framed with more opportunity
for public discussion, and more careful
examination of each class of. expenditure,
than the one which will determine the
amount of taxation to be paid by the peo-
| pie of the city. Yet there is much reason
to anticipate the repetition of the pro-
cedure of previous years, in the introduc-
ton of the measure and its passage at a
single meeting, before the people have
learned what its provisions are.
In contemplating the framing of the ap-
preparation ordinance there are some fig
ures which the people of the city should
learn. An examination of city appropria-
tons from 1880 to 1891 inclusive shows
that the expenditures for sinking fund
and interest for the poor depart
ment, and for school purposes have
not increased in ratio to popula-
tion. The total in these departments
was S1,517 900 in 1880; it was s., 1,551, 900
last year, and has been as low as s., 434, 900
in 1884 in the other branches of city ex-
penditure it is noticeable that for the seven
years from 1880 to 1886, inclusive, the in
crease in expenditure did not exceed the
growth of the city in population. The
appropriations in 1880 were 1868, 900; in
1884 they reached 1,277, 900, and in the
next two years they were S1,072, 900 and
s., ,043, 900 respectively.
But after that time a marked change
came over the policy of expenditure indi-
Gated by the appropriations for the De-
partment of Public Safety and Depart
ment of Public Works. In 1887 the ap-
preparations rose to s, ,624, 600, an increase
of so per cent The next year the gain
was more moderate, the appropriations
being S1,774,oO0, while in 1889 further
addition of S235, 900 was made. 1t might
be supposed the doubling of these expen-
ditures in three years would suffice; but
the reverse was the case. The increase
went on, at the rate of S507, 900 in 1890
and S398, 200 in 1891. So that last year,
while expenditures for the poor depart
ment, for schools, and for sinking funds in
interest were practically on the same level
as in 1880, the expenditures in the other
departments have been multiplied by
three; and if the estimates for the present
year have been correctly reported, they
ask that in 1892 the scale of expenditure
of twelve years ago be multiplied by four!
Another point is worth noting as show
ing that it is not the millage that interests
the public, but the amount actually appro-
priated. In 1880 the tax rate was 21 mills,
which looks high; but levied on valua-
ton of ss9, 9,0OO,O 900, it required the. people
to pay one-third less taxes than the rate of
Is mills levied last year on a valuation of
$3.50, 100000. If Councils get the amounts
appropriated by the ordinance this year
cut down to the level of 1890, or two and
half times the expenditures of ten years
before, it will make little difference
whether the millage is levied on a valua-
ton of 5000, ,OO0, 900 or S240, 900, 900.
1t may be nothing more than a coinci-
dence, but it is certainly worthy of note,
that this extraordinary multiplication of
expenditures in the two executive depart
ments began about the time the fashion
set in of reporting the appropriation ordi-
nance and railroading it through Councils
in single day. 1t is certainly pertinent
enough to justify the public wish that the
appropriation ordinance shall be reported
in time to allow of an examination of its
provisions and the reduction of any appro-
priations that are unnecessary. After the
extraordinary increase of expenditure just
pointed out, it is time that the tendency
shall be reversed.
Most certainly, if the expenditures of
the coming ordinance continue the policy
of increase it will create public reaction
that will make itself felt in the near
future