The Republican., 1899-05-04
Oakland's Finances.

Difficulties in the adjustment of
financial problems are not confined
alone to individuals in their private
business affairs, but often confront
municipalities. Such is and has been
for some time past subject of much
discussion by the citizen taxpayers
of the town of Oakland. Those in
terested have long realized that some
steps would have to be taken to cor
rect the evils at present existing.
That the income of the corporation
from all sources did not and could not
meet the necessary expenditures, and
that we were fast drifting into con
dition of indebtedness that would
soon assume very serious aspect,
forced itself urgently upon all think
inc people The Mayor and Council,
confronted by demands for public
improvements they were not able to
carry out, have discussed the matter
from every standpoint and their
efforts to provide some means where
by to accomplish the task before them
eliminated on Saturday last in a
meeting of the citizens to ascertain
their views. AT this meeting many
suggestions were advanced and a full
discussion of the town affairs resulted
in the appointment ofa committee to
meet the Mayor and Council at a
special meeting to be held on Thurs
day, May 4th, and also to confer with
Mr.. d. 5E. Offutt, the owner of the
electric light plant, and report to an
adjourned meeting of the citizens on
Friday evening.
The heaviest item of expense to the
town is the lighting of our streets,
which now costs the sum of $2,170 a
year We do not know what conclu-
sion this committee will arrive at
after their conference with our corpo-
rate authorities and Mr.. Offutt, nor
can we have the remotest idea as to
what it may offer in the way of solv-
ing the problem, but it seems very
clear that the only remedy for the
evil is in retrenchment (where it can
be properly applied) and an increase
of revenue by an advance in the rate
of taxation. Our contract for electric
lights at So, 40 will not expire for two
years. The charter restricts the rate
of taxation to fifty cents on the one
hundred dollars. Can Mr.. Offutt,
and will he, meeting his fellow citizens
in their efforts to ameliorate their
condition, make any considerable re-
duction in the price named in his con-
tract for the arc lights furnished? We
have now in use twenty-three arc
lights for which we pay the amount
previously named. How many of
these can we dispense with and in
their place substitute incandescent
lights? To meet our obligations we
need an additional income of at least
$4,000. 1t is very evident that this
amount cannot be provided by sim
ply reduction in our bill for light.
No town can take a retrograde step.
1t is true that we might do away
with some few of the arc lights
in certain sections of the town,
and as has been said previously, sub
stitute incandescent lights in their
place. This would be step in the
way of retrenchment, but only step.
How far can we carry this reductions
AS in every business enterprise, the
prospect for remuneration for time
labor and the capital invested must
be the incentive, and we reach a point
in reduction of our expenses for light
when there would be no profit for the
Electric Light Company, and conse
quently would meet with rejection Of
our proposition. Mr.. Offutt could