The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-02-08
THE CITY'S FINANCES.
Comptroller's Figures Do Not
Agree With the Mayors.
Carson's Abstract Seems to BE Correct
Room for Explanation as to How
S"67.011 Was Expended.

One OF the most valuable reports of city
ofiicials is that of the city comptroller.
who deals strictly with cold figures and
enables the taxpayer to clearly compre-
bend the matter-of-fact necessities of the
city with the means by which they are to
be met. Mr.. Carson has prepared an sb-
stract, which will be accompanied by a
fully detailed schedule of expenditure,
giving the amount of every warrant and
the purpose for which it was issued
After reciting the amounts constituting
the bonded Indebtedness, which is s., $50, =
600. Mr.. Carson gives the total amount of
outsten ding warrants as s6O6. 1855, of
which amount $76, 955. 80 is provided for by
levy of 1892 leaving 500, 1901, and about
5000 worth of these bonds have been
called for payment by the trea urer but
have not yet been presented for payment.
upon which interest has ceased, SO that
the net total is $500. 1904. There is due
King county on city hall property July 1,
1888, SO, 800, with interest on same one
year, 10 per cent, $1,000. or s22,550, max
ing total interest bearing debt of S., 107,-
1904.
He submits that this debt outstanding
warrants and amount due on city hall) is
invalid by reason of having been incurred
in excess of ~ per centum of assessed
valuation of property IN the city, and was
not bonded during 1892 on account of the
restrictions of the act of March Z, 1891.
which limits the valuation and funding
of such debts to those incurred prior to its
enactment. Now that the legislature is
about to remove this restriction, he urg-
entity recommends the vaiidation and fund
ing OF this debt, amounting to $542. $50. OF,
with accumulated interest on these out
standing warrants approximating $4,000,
making total of $685. 1904, that i'll his
judgment ought to be funded.
The city engineers report shows that of
the $4,000 (s35.000 in 1890 and $4,000 in
1892 voted to build the north sewer tun-
mel a95, 374.3 SO have been expended, and es-
Inmates that about SOL. 900 will be neces-
sary to complete the same. The comp
troller suggests that whatever PROPOSE
tions looking to the bonding of the city is
deemed necessary in the near future should
be matured and all submitted at once, to
the end that the people may not be too
frequently appealed to for funds.
Section Is, chapter of the city charter
requires that the heads of each depart
ment shall on or before the Goth day of
June of each year make careful estimates
OF the probable needs of their respective
departments for the ensuing fiscal year; it
also requires the comptroller's office to
transmit these estimates to the city
council on or before the first Monday
in July with an estimate of the probable
revenue to the city from fines, licenses,
ETC., and the probable amount necessary
to be raised by taxation, which, with the
revenue from fines, licenses, etc., will
meet all the requirements of the different
departments for the ensuing fiscal year.
and amendment No. Is to section No. IA of
this same chapter 8. provides that the city
council shall, on or before the first Mon
day in September in each year, levy the
rate of taxes to cover these needs; all of
these requirements have been fulfilled,
and he urges that all expenditures and
disbursements be made with the view of
keeping within these estimates, and that
they only be exceeded in case of an emcr-
gency or of absolute necessity.
Following is the abstract of receipts and
disbursements he gives for 1892: