Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-05-07
THE MAYORS MESSAGE.
Address of Rock Islands
Executive.
A Review OF the Financial and Other
Conditions OF the CITY as Read at
the Last Council Meeting.

The annual message of Mayor McCon.
ochie delivered at last Monday nights
council meeting and made part of the
official record. is appended in full:
GENTLEMEN OF TaE CITY COUNCIL:
By the provisions Of the statutes it is
made my duty from time to time to give
the council information relative to the
affairs OF the city and to make such
recommendations as may be deemed ex-
pedient.
In obedience to that mandate, I will
call your attention to some Of the ques-
tions that in my judgement are the most
important for your consideration. The
reports OF head Of departments with such
recommendations as they think necessary
are so full and complete that 1t will not
be necessary for me to say anything on
some Of the questions had in view.
OUR FINANCIAL CONDITION
is such that it will require the strictest
economy to make our appropriations meet
our actual demands. No matter b
simple this may appear it is difficult in it's
accomplishment. Many things that should
and We would like to have done had to be
postpo ned on account OF funds. To select
the most urgent, appropriate enough
for each and keep all within the spec
flied limits has been our main
task. In this have had the assist
ance Of the council and the city
clerk Who is entitled to special mem
ton. His perfect knowledge and
long ex perience in all matters pertaining
to the city's finances and his business
methods have made his services to the
city and myself invaluable. For q full
and detailed report refer you to his of
fetal financial statement for the year
just closed. The most difficult problem
that CO nfronts US is that our revenues
do not increase in the same ratio as the
needs and demands of our growing and
prosperous city would require TO keep
pace W tn private enterprise to provide
for the sinking fund. to pay the city 8
share OF paving Improvements and the
park Improvements which have borne
heavy upon US during the past three years
But think the results obtained should
satisfy the most skepticsl that these i'm
proven ents have done much to advance
the city's prosperity. Much of the pres
ent prosperity is due to the progressive
spirit shown ey the council in aiding and
encouraging every lsudsble enterprise,
and trust the present council will not
be Behind them in this pa tculsr.
PROVIDING FOR THE BONDS.
The S25,0J0 per cent waterworks
bonds have been taken up and cancelled
leaving our total debt at this date s 95.-
0UO as follows: 6 pc. cent funding
bonds Of 1897, $40 900; per cent wat,
erworks bonds of 1902, S25. 600. To meet
the pay ment of funding bonds as yet no
provision has been made. 1t is our duty
TO commence new si0king fund TO pre-
pare for taking up as much of the bonds
as poss BILE when due five years hence, by
setting aside not less than $40. 900 per az
mum and have it invested as We have
done during tho past three years. The
interest would swell the total to nearly
$50, 0O0. then by borrowing enough TO
take up and cancel S7O,OG0 of the bonds,
refund The balance. $780, 900 at q lower
rate of interest and have it so arranged
that certain amount of them could be
taken up annually.
You al understand these are questions
for our successors to determine and we
have no idea what line of policy they
will pursue, but I think it is our duty
while in charge TO lay the foundations of
q system they can build ueon which
would eventually liquidste or debt To
accomplish this we would be compelled
to levy a small tax outside of our 2 per
cent limit. the law allows us TO levy
tax for municipal purposes not to excel 2
per cent of our assessed valuation, and
TO this We add the interest on the bonded
debt, The law also allows US TO make
provisions to pay our debts outside of
the 2 per cent Limitation, but this has
Dever been done heretofore. All monies
for the sinking fund have been taken out
OF our annual revenues. 1t is q strange
fact, but il is nevertheless true, our as
sesed valuation has decreased from $2,-
6O0. 900 in 1880 to $4,000 0OO now when
every sensible man knows it should De
just the reverse of this, instead of Sc =
OOO,0 600 with a revenue of SAC. 900 1t
should be IS 600. 600 with an annual rev.
enue of $50. 900 per annum. which our
city needs TO keep pace to with the pro
gress around US. Our increased reve nues
from other sources will not equ al the
lspses from g, neral taxation. 1t will
take all of our revenues to pay our ordi>
nary expenses and will leave nothing for
the sinking fund. To provide for that
you must levy outside OF the specified
limits. Now it is for you to say whether
we shall do 80 or not. Personally am
in favor of reducing our debts, but to do
80 will increase taxation, already high,
we will admit. The municipal corpora
ton of Rock Island is not responsible for
the increase in taxes complained of this
year. but it is fact the city will receive
less from general taxation this year than
for many years. thought it proper to
draw your attention to these ques-
tions now so they might be fully under
stood and discussed by the people and
ourselves, SO we can act intelligently and
in conformity with the wishes of the tax
payers when we come to make our ap-
propristions and tax levy ordinances some
months alter.
OUR STREET IMPROVEMENTS
now are mostly done by special taxation.
We have experienced the same difficult