The Portland daily press., 1895-03-12


office to Mayor-elect WV. Cutter. The
aldermen-elect were also sworn in by the
city clerk. Mayor Cordwell, in a very
pleasant manner, introduced WV. Cut
ter, wi ho delivered his address, which was
as follows:
Gentlemen OF the City Council:
You have been intrusted with the
management of the municipal affairs OF
Westbrook for the coming year. In the
discharge of your duties,,it becomes you
to act with the same prudence. economy
and care that you would manifest III
your own private business matters;
knowing no section or party in what
you may undertake, but acting with d de-
sire to serve the best interests OF the
whole city.
We should in nowise evade the respon-
sibilities of Office that we have assumed
today, but take up tue work with az
much earnestness as any of our predeces-
sors, by whose wisdom we should profit
and whose errors we should avoid.
/ now wish to invite your attention
briefly to some of the various depart
ments in our city government. Know
ing that it will tie impossible for the
auditor, treasurer and printer to place
in your hands a complete report of the
past municipal year before some six
weeks of your service as city officers have
expired, and believing that all facts in re-
lation to our valuation, indebtedness.
ayailabilities, receipts and expenditures
should be placed before you at the earli-
est possible moment, | have procured
from the auditor and treasurer some fig
ures showing the present financial con-
dition of Westbrook.
The valuation of the city is So, 3S7, 465.-
80. This is N ade up by real estate val
ued at so, 347, 9S4, and personal property to
the value of 81, ,039, 4S1.99.
The assessment for 1894 was $73, 551. so.
The rate of taxation So on 500; number
of polls. 1891: poll tax,S3. Our liabilities
at the beginning of the year ere S134.
26O. OF; the present liabilities are $751;
5O4. 50; an increase of $27, ,244. .67. This
debt is made up in this way:
Bonds, S127, 400. 0(
City notes, O,6O0 0(
Unpaid mayors orders, 2,704 6s
Overarawn account at pank, 800. 0(
S161, 504. 69
This increase, by the amount stated,
consists of the S25, ZOO in bonds issued
for the new grammar school building al
the east end, unpaid mayors orders, and
cash due the Westbrook Trust Company.
Availabilities-
Old availabilities (so-called), S 766 rs
Tax deeds, 1000 A.
Due from collectors, 81, So5. Ol
Total, $50, 1872. 20.
Leaving a net debt of S1O2, 352. 40; an
increase of $21, ,451. 95.
The difference in the increase of the
gross and net Indebtedness is due to the
Increase in uncollected taxes as availa-
biIities. OF the availabilities there is
a large amount that, in my opinion, is
ABSOLUTELY worthless. / refer to the un.
collected taxes for the years previous tC
1890. This amount is about S12, 600
And it remains the same at the end o.
the year that it was at the beginning
not one cent having been collected fol
the past twelve months.
In Justice to the tax collectors who
held these
UNPAID TAX BILLS
and who are still under bonds for theil
collection, and IN fairness to our people
these outstanding accounts should b.
settled in some way. In order that thu
portion of this sum that is colleota biz
can be placed in the hands of our present
collector, and part of the remainder
paid to the collectors as commissions
AS it rightfully belongs to them. ant
the balance abated.
/ call your attention to this as mat
ter of vital Importance, and one tha
should receive your attention as early il
the GEAR as posi- BILE, as we have been pre-
senting to our citizens each year whaI
I believe to he an unfair statement ol
our financial condition.
Our receipts for tie year from variou:
sources, other than by issuing bonds
amount to SO, 1925. Of this sum We
have received from tax collections, $50,
1911 %; from the state for schools) Sc,
329. %; from other sources, 81, 740.29.
We have expended something more
than $8l 900, not including amount pafo
out for new school house. BY this yoU
will observe that our expenditures ex'
ceed our receipts by some 81, 900. This
is not unusual in the history of West
brook, as you are we'll aware, but rather
in conformity with the methods by
which our financial affairs have beer
conducted for a series of years.
I he assessment is made each year tC
an amount a little in excess of the ap
preparations; but the sum collected hy
thea tax collector is usually insu fficient
to pay our bill. Hence, we find the city
debt increasing every year. When schoo
buildings are constructed we expect tx
add the cost to the debt of the city, bu1
we ought not to increase it's Indebtedness.
by the ordinary work of the year. Thi!
we 90, however, by reason of some radi