Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-11
THURSDAY. July IL, 1895.
Handling City Money.

Just row our city Council Is considering
whether il cannot improve the municipal
method of keeping books and accounting
for public money. Several propositions
have been made that Will no doubt he
serviceable If adopted, but we doubt II
we shall ever attain the object sought
until we establish Board Of Finance
and give it certain well defined powers
over all who take in or pay on; city
money. or who keep city books or &C
counts.
The committees of the City Council do
a great deal of valuable work, but 1t is
rare indeed that they can give TO their
departments the full time and Labor neces-
sary to see that the books are properly
kept, and the city's money accounted
for IN strict conformity with law.
We would reinforce them with Board
of Finance, the members of which should
be paid for their services and provided
with funds 20 enable them to procure
needful clerical assistance Such II board
would probably cost $1,000 or $500 per
annum. but 1t ought to be able to save
its salary TO the city every year. IL We
had such a board it would see that each
officer had his accounts examined regu-
larry, and then such defalcations as cc-
CURED in the City Hall n few years ago
would be impossible. Nor would the
sureties of our officers then be able TO
put in the plea that they ought not to
be held accountable for defalcations be-
cause the city had failed to DO its duty in
the premises by demanding regular settle
ments. When such plea as this is
made on behalf OF sureties. the public
sees that it is not without reason. and
the consequence Is that our city usually
has had either to compromise It's claims
or relinquish them altogether. We have
not the statistics before us-we wish we
nad-but we daresay that the city has
not collected a very large percentage
of the claims that IL has had since 1866
against sureties on official bonds.
Even though we had a Finance Board.
composed OF excellent men, we could not
hope to escape all losses on account
of delinquent officers. but we could at
least hope to reduce our losses, and at
all times we should have the very great
satisfaction OF knowing whom to blame
for remissness when defalcation OF
many years standing was revealed. Ger
tainly no private corporation or private
person doing the business that Rich
mond does every year would be content
TO continue the lax methods which have
cost us so much.
We can think Of no better remedy for
the evil that exists than for us TO es-
tablsh a Board OF Finance, TO have gen.
eral supervision, under ordinances adopted
oy the City Council of the accounts Of
officers who have to do with the receipts
and disbursements OF the cty-to see
that our books are accurately kept, TO
have settlements regularly made, and
also to advise the City Council on all
matters of taxation and public expendi-
lures. The idea is one that has long
pleased us, and we believe that it is en-
tirely practical. Had we had Finance
Board when the new City Hall was being
built, we cannot but believe that we
should have been saved a vast sum OF
money, because the board would have
made il clear to the public what the
building was going to cost. and would
have put us on our gnard against tina,
lavish expenditure in which we were In
dulging. We may add that there never
was any suspicion that the money appro-
priated for the City Hall was not honestly
spent; the only complaint was of the
lavish expenditure authorized by the City
Council
We trust that the idea Of Finance
Board Will find favor with the community
We do not advance 1t with the view OF
superseding the City Council in it's work
but that the Finance Board may
be the eyes OF the Council, sc
that the Council may be forever on the
lookout TO guard our revenues. Nor dc
we mean 10 be understood as limiting
that Richmond needs q Board OF Finance
more than other cities of our size do
The record of Richmond's officials FOL
honesty and faithfuiness is as good as
that Of officials of any other city. We
would not be ashamed to compare record!
with any other city OF our population
But we have had some negligent or cul
pablo ofIiciais-made so. perhaps. by Tho
extraordinary opportunities that we gave
them TO use our money without detec
ton. So we think II will be gen
orally admitted that our financial methods
are susceptible OF Improvement, and tha
the officials charged With the supervisor
OF the books OF the various department.
need heip-ard we do not know how thii
can be no effectualy given as by BoarC
Of Finance. II It be necessary to ament
,ur city charter SO ms to give the boart
adequate powers. the desired legislation
,an be obtained a, the session OF thu
General Assembly TO be held In Decem
Fr next.
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The City Council OF Nashville has vote
% submit 70 vote OF the people th
~ronosftion 70 subscribe Q00,00e 10 IN