Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-14


ausural addresses OF. Mayor Philbrook
OF Waterville, aid Mayor Stafford of
Hallowell. delivered at the organiza-
ton OF their respective city govern
ments. yesterday.
inaugural Address Of Mayor Philbrook.
Gentlemen of the City Council:
. once more the will of the people
has been expressed at the ballot box,
and during the next municipal year the
affairs of the city are intrusted to our
hands. 1t is to be hoped that no one
has sought Office with unworthy mo-
tives. and that each fully realizes the
responsibility resting upon him as he
assumes the duties imposed by thu
election. l trust | may be pardoned
the personality when l say that l ac-
cept the chief office in this city with
extreme reluctance, sadly dNtrusting
my own judgment and ability to con-
duct its affairs in manner satisfac-
tory even to myself. and. therefore.
asking for. and hoping that l may re-
ceive your cordial support and the
patient, charitable criticism of my
fellow citizens. The first official duty
of the mayor is to convey to the city
council some views regarding the con-
dition of the city, its resources. its
liabilities and it's needs with the hope
that those views, if endorsed by you
may prove some platform upon which
we may stand during the coming year.
In the interesting and instructive
inaugural of my immediate prede-
cessor may be found comparative
history of the expenses of the city
since it's Incorporation. Another years
experience adds another chapter to
that history. According to the figures
given in the last report, the valuation
of the city in 1898 was $4S6.0 The
assessed value in 1899 is $4,912, $685.
showing an increase of $66,S4o or rs
per cent. In the meantime the net
debt has been increased from $219, 500
to 1925, 159, an increase of $3.50 or 2la
per cent. l am informed that abate-
ments will reduce very largely the in
crease in the assessed valuation, so
that there has been practically but
little increase in the amount of prop
erty assessed for taxation. The in
creased per cent of debt as compared
with the increased per cent of valuation
shows palpably wrong condition of
things. l venture to lay down two
propositions, which under all the cir
surrounding us cannot be
sd3sputed. First, debts already ac-
ned, must be paid when due, and
I Eond, the obligations of the city
should not be allowed to increase. If
we fail in either of these, l say frank
ly and emphatically. it had been better
for ourselves and the city that we had
never been elected to the various
offices which we hold. If 1 can esti-
mate the situation correctly two fac
tors must contribute to the support of
these propositions, one a slight in
crease in the rate of taxation, the
other a stern refusal to either make
large appropriations or allow them
overdrawn when made. Neither one of
these factors can alone suffice, both
must be depended on. In the matter
of permanent improvements it is diff
cult to absolutely call a halt. We cam
not retrograde but the advance must
be made slowly and with discriminate
ing judgment. In examining the re-
ceipts of last year and baSing an esti-
mate upon them with tax rate of two
per cent, the income of the city would
be in the neighborhOOd of $132O pro-
viding good success We're had in col
lecting the taxes. Out of this income
we are called to pay 100000 for bonded
debt the same amount for railroad
subscriptions, about $1100 for interest
on bonds and interest bearing notes.
State tax of perhaps $4,000, and
county tax of perhaps $500. If the
ordinary expenses in the various de-
partments shall be the same as last
year. not allowing anything for per-
manent improvements. the grand total
of expenditure could be just about
kept down to the income. This. how
ever. would not provide farthing foi
interest bearing notes as they fan due
and | submit as a business proposition
that some provision should be made IN
that direction, or in other words we
should not only not. be adding to oul
floating debt but reducing it. even il
the annual reduction be small. The
addition of one mill to the tax rate
would give a fund of almost $4,000 with
which to begin a reduction of that item
Of $32 900 now found under the heading
of outstanding notes of the city, ano
| which must be an offense to all busl'
ness minds.
| Il feel constrained to say. therefore
that my deliberate judgment is ina
| the situation calls for a tax rate OF a
| least u mills for the next municipal
! year and practically for d halt in the
matter of expenditures except by tint
| necessities of the various departments
1t might be much pleasanter to make
difficult recommendation, but condi
| ton and not a theory confronts US.
THE POOR.
| ct is "A matter of conSratulatlon ina
the department of the ovcrseers OF tn
moor makes so fine a showing this year
| our destitute ones have been cared To-
abundantly and intelligently. and at
decreased cost as compared with othe
years Mr.. Knauff is emphatlcally TN
right man in the right place. In addl
lion to his regular work his close at
tention to the duties of the Office ant
his grasp of the subject of pauper Law
has enabled him to cover into the cit.
treasury sums due from other munici
pa,ties to an unprecedented extent, col
lecting bills in many cases winch ac
oruoa ,,pder administrations much be