Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-03-30
LOOKED
In Vain For Relief.
Commissioners Were
Warned a Year Ago
OF Reckless Waste Of
City Funds.
Mismanagement In Street
Department.
Has Been Used as Auxiliary Political
Machine.


One year ago County Treasurer Ber-
ger called the attention Of the City
Commissioners to the condition Of the
city finances. The taxpayers then
looked to the Board for relief.
The condition of the funds at the
close of the fiscal year, March 10, 1900,
were as follows:
General fund, balance, S9,67241.
Street fund, overdraft, SS,03323.
Fire department fund, overdraft,
$4,000.
Police fund, overdraft S95S00.
Park fund, overdraft, S2i7.4O.
This includes the apportionment paid
to the city on February 20, 1900, and
with which the city expected to pay
the running expenses up to August
90, 1900.
A year ago, the same funds, showed
balances and overdrafts as follows:
General fund, overdraft, March 21st,
S423O4.
Balance in street fund, S4,31S.47.
Fire department fund, balance,
Ss,29s.79.
Police fund, balance, Ss,7S1.45.
Park fund, balance, $1,602.61.
At the end Of the preceding fiscal
year there was balance in the work
ing funds of $22,67s. The balance to-
day is $40 difference OF S2253s. 1t
should be remembered that the Coun,
ell has no voice in tho expenditure of
the city funds. All contracts are made
by the Board and all purchases are au-
thorized by the Commissioners.
There are several reasons for the
falling off in the balance. Not the least
of these is the mismanagement in the
Street department. Twi items of ex-
pense created under the direction of
Commissioner Crisp are worthy Of no
tice. The account shows that the
payroll of the men in charge of Chas
Button and John German amounted
to $4,000 this year as compared with
$14, 900 for the preceding year. This
amount represents the cost TO the tax
payers Of making an auxiliary political
machine out of the Street department.
There is not contractor in Akron
who would not be glad to take the
same work at one-half4 the amount
paid by the City Commissioners for
the lob. Commissioner Crisp has full
charge o. this department for the last
six months.
Treasurer Berger has again notified
the city that it win be necessary to
borrow money to keep the departments
running until August 20, when the next
apportionment is made. Hc estimates
that $4,000 will be needed to meet
the overdrafts upon the funds provided
for general expenses of the city.
The overdrafts for the city's share
of special improvements, which must
be paid during the next year, amount
to 100000.
The only way to take care of these
will be issuing refupdlng bonds,
Refunders, to the amount of S1o6ooC
are already charged up to the genera
fund. There is but S5s,000 in the
sinking fund 10 cover these, In the
last two years the City Commissioners
have made no provision for the main
tainencc of the sinking fund, Al
money raided by taxation has beer
placed to the credit Of the working
funds in a vain endeavor to make /,
respectable showing In the same. n,
levy has been made for the sinking
fund.
The result of this move Is now mad
evident. The city is forced to increas,
its bonded indebtedness by more thar
lSiOo,ooo, making total general deb