The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-16

spite of the barriers on extravaGance i'm
posed by the present charter and to re-
move these barriers and permit a still
higher expenditure and tax rate, would
De toIerable only in response to the de-
mandS Of the most imperative necessities
Refused School Boards Plea.
The request Of the school BOARD that
the words total enrolment be SUBJ
stltuted for average enrollynent'' is de-
MED. The change would bring about
$125,0O0 additional to the school fund. The
commission is of the opinion that tne
present laws permit this addition with
out their interference
The water board through it's repre-
sentatives, asked that the charter be
changed so as to allow it to collect from
the city for water used for sprinkling
purposes that 1t be allowed to employ
special attorney and that the members
including the president, be given fixed
salary. Each request is refused. The
commission thinks while the water de-
partment is practically an Independent
institution, it is independent enough and
the concessions asked are not necessary
TO its welfare AS far as salaries for
the board members are concerned, other
boards are required to serve without
them, and any discrimination at this
time would be unjust Pay for water
N1ON III OACel1A44l5 Tie SIIcSAS rs also O0-
MED
Relative to the request Of the engineer
ing and fire departments that their an
nual allowances be increased the com
mission is agreeable but is opposed to
the removal of a set limit. If the finan-
cial condition Of the city permitted, they
say a recommendation for marked in
creases in both departments would be
made but the way is not clear. AS for
the contention that the firemen are paid
less in st. Paul than elsewhere the
/ statement is accepted but the members
think this lack is somewhat offset by the
fact that the official tenure Of firemen
in st. Paul is more certain, they are not
called upon for campaign contributions,
and therefore are pretty certain of life
positions. If money other than from di-
rect taxation can be obtained, the COM
mittee says it will be willing to prepare
an amendment making the change asked.
In conclusion the commission says that
it will have to deny both requests for
the present.
Several of the boards. including the
park department, asked to be allowed
to use the receipts accruing from their
labOrS, also to be credited with the bal
ances remaining at the close of the fiscal
year, instead of turning the moneys from
both sources into the general fund. Each
request is denied. The argument advanced
III support OIL SuCn, the DOdrQ says, IS
wrong, and removes one of the safe
guards that the charter now contains.
Comptroller McCardy's request that he
be permitted to abandon his daily reports
for a system adopted by himself does
not find favor and is denied.
Ohage's Request Reasonable.
The only request to receive favorable
consideration is that of DR.. Ohage, who
asks that his deputy's salary be increased
from 81 200 to 81, 800. The committee thinks
the request reasonable and proper.
Possibly the most interesting of the
commissions labors since they began
meeting fully two months ago is the re
port of the committee on fiscal affairs,
and its recommendations relative to
changes that should be made, or at least
considered, to the end of abrogatfng some
Of the provisions altogether.
One Of these is whether the monthly
conference meetings should be abandon
ed altogether, or whether the work of
preparing and passing upon the budget
should be left to the committee instead
Of the council. The present system, the
board thinks, is weak, and they point
significantly to the fact that the library
and health boards are asking for repre-
sentation on this committee, thinking
thereby that they will be enabled to Sc
cure larger annual appropriations.
1uG recommendation Is maze IldL the
council be given authority to name a
temporary deputy comptroller or treas
urer in case of the sickness Of either Of
these two officials, also that the comp
troller's clerical force be increased, and
that he be authorized to make periodical
examination of the books Of all officials
who collect money for the city The
present method by which statements are
made, the committee says, is unbusiness-
like.
For those departments that insist they
cannot do proper work on the annual
appropriations allowed, the committee
suggests that a sliding scale, based on
some measurement be provided. On ex-
penditures where no fixed limit now ex-
lists, the recommendation is made that a
maximum be provided beyond which
taxes for municipal purposes cannot be
imposed.
The committee thinks provisions should
be Gade for sources Of revenue other