The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-23
CITY OFFICIALS SAY HIS BUDGET
CONTAINS A NUMBER OF
ERRORS.
MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND.
NOT BALANCE AS IN FORMER
ESTIMATES.
On It's Face 1T Looks as IT He Were
Raising More Money Than Is
Necessary.

Necessary.
Comptroller McCardy has everybody
around the city hall either figuring or
guessing, or both. They cannot make
his budget figures jibe and on the face
of the figures it seems the comptroller
was preparing to have more money
raised than the wants of the city. as
estimated, call for Whatever his ex-
PLANTATION is he was Willing. it is said.
to let the conference committee pass
the budget as it stood in ignorance OF
this difference. The comptroller will
be asked about the matter when the
council takes up the question.
Comptroller is required by law to
submit to the conference committee
and also to the common council in De-
cenber of each year, an estimate or
the expenses for the next succeeding
year and likewise the revenue neces-
ssary to be raised for the year. For
five years since he assumed the duties
Of the office, Comptroller McCardy has
annually presented such an estimate
and the figures in each Of the five estl-
mates have been duly approved by the
conference committees and the council
on the suppositfon that they were cor
rect and the comptroller could not pos
sibly make any mistake.
When the estimate for 1898 was sub
mitted to the conference committee
about a week ago the point was raised
by Assemblyman Kirke that the comp
troller had made a mistake of $4,000
in one Of the items in the budget and
that it would not be necessary to raise
within $4,000 of the amount mentioned
by the comptroller as necessary. The
statement created considerable sur
prise among the members Of the con-
ference committee and was promptly
denied by Mr.. McCardy. At the next
session Of the committee, Mr.. K1rke
went even farther and stated that the
total of the tax estimate was about
900 larger than it should be. which
included the $4,000 he had called atten-
tfon to before and 100000 additional.
Before the conference committee
adopted the budget the comptroller &C
knoWledged that the statement made
by Assemblyman Kirke as to the 3d.
900 was correct and amended the item
providing for the fire department fund
by reducing the total for the fund from
5000 600 to $4,000. AS to the mistake
the conference committee, Assembly
man Kirke not being present at the
meeting Of the conference committee
when the estimate was adopted. Since
the matter of mistake was called at
tention to by Mr.. Kirke a number or
the city officials have been busy with
pencil and paper and the estimate, as
submitted by the comptroller has been
carefully gone over. Mr.. Kirke claim
ed that the estimate, even after the
comptroller amended the fire depart
ment item. was 100000 too high ac-
cording to Mr.. McCardy's own figures.
Other officials who have done some
figuring place the amount necessary
for the expenses of the city at from
given by the comptroller. While some
of those who claim the comptroller
made a mistake agree as to the amount
they all agree that the mistake
simply means the comptroller would
have a neat little sum to use for the
best interests Of the city at sucn time
as he saw fit It is claimed that the
mistake might have been an error on
the part Of the comptroller In making
I'D the estimate, but those well &C
ouainted with the reputation Of the
comptroller for his ability as an &C,
countant. laugh at this and say that
"McCardy Is all right and there Is a
city election coming next spring.
Comptroller McCardy was seen yes
terday by reporter Tor the U
and asked about the reports that We're
being circulated as to mistakes made
in the estimate for 1898. Mr.. McCardy
said he had nothing to say as to the
matter at this time. but intimated that
when the budget was taken up by the
council he might be able to show that
what q number Of city officials called
mistakes were far from being such.
Further than this the comptroller
would not talk on the subject.
Tt is in the item known as the gen.
eral fund that the alleged mistakes Of
the comptroller occur. The estimated
income Of this fund for 1898 Is given
by the comptroller (budget page l3) as
s375. 0OO and from this fund Is PAID
current and other incidental expenses
of the city not specifically provided for
through which the business Of the city
is conducted. The estimate of the
COMPTROLLER shows that from the $685.
600 which Is to come Into this fund
next year, the amounts to be first tax
en- for other department funds are az
follows:
For psS' certificates indebtedness fund -,
F6 5pgd sse pd department. a fund udget Y'''
For poiaee uepat 'te ~ S5, 900
For pse city oficers' salary fund (bud- -.
get page 10 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Z''too
ro+., .s1Ss, $50
This amount deducted from the es-
timated $375,O00, as the income Of the
fund. leaves a balance Of S1S6,720. The
COMPTROLLER, however, makes the ball
ance. as shown in the recapitulation
of his estimate budget Page 14). $780,
220. It is this discrepancy that has
caused the talk about the mistake
made by the comptroller in his est1-
mate, and gives rise to the idea that
the COMPTROLLER Is endeavoring to gath
err in steen thousand dollars more than
is absolutely necessary in order to
have a little sinking fund on hand for
emergencies. On the face of 1t, the
! comptroller seems to be asking for
S63 500 more than the itemized bill Of
particulars, as 1t were, or the item
| lied statement calls for.
To show that there is something
out of the way with the figures Of the
comptroller as to the estimate for the
general fund for 1898, city official
Yesterday called attention to the comp
| troller's estimates for 1896 and 1897,
and particularly as to the amount
placed in the estimates for each of
| these years under the head of general
fund in the recapitulation.-
| The estimate for 1895 submitted by
| the comptroller shows there was first
| r. he taken from the general fund for