St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-14
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.
THE COMING TAX BUDGET CAUSES
DISCUSSION.


anu SO!uptFOileF MCCaruy
Stand for Retrenehment-AH
along the Line.
The only feature of the conference
meeting yesterday was the speech in
which County Auditor Burns called the
attention of the members to the ueces-
slty of retrenchment in the expenses of
the city government In order that the
taxes might be reduced next year. Gen.
Z. &. Andrews made a talk about the
need OF placing in the next fax budget
half mill for the purpose of securing
better and larger quarters for the public
library. He also called attention to the
law of 1879, which provides that an
amount not to exceed half mill could
be levied for the purchasing { site
| and erection of library. A paltry
$4,000 was set apart from the general
fund, but this was insufficient. anil no
new books could be purchased. and
those of the citizens who had occasion
to consult books in the public library
! were obliged to go TO Minneapolis to get
what they wanted.
President Willrich, from the school
board, suggested the placing of half
mill III the next tax budget to purchase
sites and build school houses III portions
of the city where more school houses
were needed. A half-milT tax he said
would realize about 100000, and this
amount could be used in purchasing
sites and also in securing play grounds
at number of the present schools. The
committee took no action Oh either of
the matters preached, and Comptroller
McCardy moved an adjournment.
Before the motion could be put
President Bement inquired if the
comptroller could have the tax
budget figures ready for the members
OF the conference to look over before
the next meeting so as to show how
much money each department would
have. Mr.. Bement said that the heads
OF the various departments had claimed
that the figures presented in former tax
budgets had not been presented until
the meeting at which the budget was
adopted, and then it was too late to
to make any changes or discuss matters.
The comptroller said that the budget
would be ready at the December meet
ing, and as it did not have to be adopted
by the council until the first meeting of
that body in January. there would be
ample time to consider it.
County Auditor Burns said he was the
| only county official who belonged to the
conference committee, and he had no
vote in the body, but. outside of the
al Il
better than he did how burdensOme the
taxes had become. The taxpayers, he
said, were very patient. but it was plain
that many things could be remedied
and the taxes reduced if the members of
tie conference would take hold of the
city'S business and handle 1t the same
as they did their own affairs. Instead of
requesting the comptroller to furnish
statements showing how much
money the departments would
nave to spend next year, his
idea would be for the heads
OF the various departments to come in
and suggest how the expenses could be
reduced. He saw no particular need of
singing out the police and fire depart
ments, as all the departments were run
on the same scale as they were in the
boom times. The taxpayers, he said,
''kieked" just as hard on the double
taxation in the water department as
anything else. Property owners paid
frontage tax for water, another tax for
the use il. their houses, and again for
the sprinkling. There was practically
no limitation to the expenditures of the
water board. and, in his opinion, there
was a chance for retrenchment in
this department the same as in
the police and fire departments.
of
year $780, 200, and of this amount, $4,000
was expended in caring for the outside
poor, which class, according to the
books in the office of the board of con-
troll, numbered $500 persons. At the
same time $4,000 was spent in caring
for sixty persons at the poor farm. In
other words. more money was spent
each year in taking care of sixty per-
sons at the poor farm than was spent in
outside aid by the board. What was
needed at this time. Mr.. Burns said,
was tor the level-headed business men,
such as made up tue conference COM
mittee, to get the departments down to
hard pan. and endeaVor TO run the city
expenditures the same way they did
their own affairs in the present strin-
gency. The committee, he thought,
would do much better if they devoted
| their time to arranging some plan by
which the poor people would be cared
! for and fed this winter than to arrange
| for purchasing library site and real
| estate for new school buildings:
No one made any answer to the talk
made by the county auditor. and when
| the comptroller again renewed his mo-
| ton to adjourn il was put and carried.
ROUTINE REPORTS.
The following are summaries of re-
| ports submitted:
Board Fire Observation-Disclosures
| authorized since last report, S1.911.S6;
| pay roll for October, S13. 00257; number
| of employees. 100.
Mayor - City warrants signed by
mayor and acting mayor during Octo-
| Der, exclusive of warrants for principal
and interest on bonded indebtedness,
| 1881, 954 .0S.
President ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS con-
| ferred by council requiring assessments,
S2,010: bills paid in favor Robert Seeger
since last report, S6,6O2.92; amount eX
| pended by council (board expenses eX-
| cepted), $685., 244.0S.
Board of Public Works-Contracts
| awarded during the month, two amount
| ing to Sits; pay roll of members and
! clerks. 81, 1852.
Board of Water Commissioners
penditures since last report, S14, 1905,
of which amount 81, 362.42 was pay rolls,
and $500 as interest; collections,
| 1888 II.
City Engineer-Pay roll for street
| and sewer force for October, 81, 064.74;
engineers pay roll, S2,5l7; Inspectors
pay roll, S770.25; livery, SlO5; material
| for street and sewer force. S1,S25.67;
! actual days work men and teams on
street and sewer force, 1,044 days for
men and 600 for teams; employs in ell
| gineer's department.. IS; Inspectors, IA.
School Board-Contracts covering APP
| proXimate needs of schools, including
| fuel and supplies, awarded by purchas-
! ing committee amounting to $50, 000;
bills allowed, SO, 495. 81; October pay
rolls, teachers, s35, l09.63; officers and