Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-01-31
rnn cIrY.s rINANoIAL srArus.

THE CITY's FINANCIAL STATUS,
We publish today tho treasurere re-
port to tie Mayor for the year ending
December 81, 1901. Although it Is
mass Of figures and details, il win be
found very Interesting document
D'he Taxpayers win be able to gee the
exact condition Of the oily's finances
The Income from all sources Is given
and also the various expenditures The
balances on hand Of the several funds
nrc specified, and when the appropra-
lions already arranged for In the dis
lursemcnt OF those amounts are fully
Understood, II win be readily seen that
the city Is in actual financial straits.
IN our reference to the very excel
lent message Of the Mayor We made
pne exception, which was to the item
Of the financial report that read cash
On hand December 3D. 1901 S952, 79GiS"
I'VE explained that while this was 10
one sense apparently correct II would
De found on investigation that the
amount Included money belonging to
special funds that cannot De used cx-
sept for the specific purposes for
which they were obtained and designed
The inference 70 be drawn from this
was, that he city did not have the ao-
tual cash named at It's disposal for
general city purposes,
Now IL our readers viii take the
trouble to look at the balanc-
es on hand Of the several spec
ial funds set forth in the
treasarers report, they win find that It
takes the whole OF them added together
to make up the sum said TO be cash
on hand The fact Is, that nearly all
OF Il has been already appropriated,
and Ia not available for the general ex.
penses which must be met from month
TO month There is but a small amount
actually on hand for the contingent
fund, and the balance for the pur-
poses OF streets and sidewalks has been
already anticipated, This leaves the
present city Council IN a position In
which II viii have to confront SER
ious financial situation Last years
taxes appear TO be almost entirely
swallowed up. and with the obligations
now resting upon the municipality 1t
IS clear that overdrafts win have 10 be
made In anticipation OF the taxes 10
be levied during the present year.
We present this matter without any
desire to east blame upon past or pres
ent city officers That Is not our pur-
pose We only desire TO draw the atten-
tlon Of the taxpayers Of this city to ac-
tual conditions. There is neither hon
esty nor good sense Ia trying to cover
up the facts. We ought 20 know Just
where we stand and what the city
Council has 70 meet, We are drifting
financially In the wrong direction. Ever
since the city plunged into heavy debt,
we have been talking about extrlcation
from It's bondage But We are getting
no better very fast. Instead Of hay
ing a real balance on hand, which was
the condition when Liberal rule
took hold of city affairs. we have been
compelled to anticipate coming taxes
81 order to meet necessary expenses
Year by year this has been continued
and now we have to commence earlier
than ever to obtain fayors from the
bank or banks where city money Is de-
posted, unless funds are drawn upon
unlawfully, which have been set apart
Tor special purposes.
Some city officials may not approve
uf this plain statement Of the truth
when disagreeable fact is made plain
and cannot be controyerted. II Is Gus
iomary with some folks to impugn the
motives Of the person or paper that
presents It to the public We do not
care a pea.shel for any such obiec-
ton. There is nothing partisan or
personal In what we have set forth.
1t Is a matter that ought to be and
must be understood and measures
should be taken as soon as practlca-
bic, to get out Of the depths and place
the city on firm financial ground,
with power to take an upward ten
dency and rid It Of the load which it
has to carry or It win be permanently
crippled and It's progress retarded
We believe however that under care
full management and wise economy
which does not by any means signify
parslmony our fair city will be at some
time not very far distant relieved from
such financial obligations as are injur-
,ous to It as great center Of business,
ana a model OF order intelligence and
advanced municipal government 80
mote It be!'