The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1903-05-02
The WafcrNOrl<S and Elcctri
Light Funds.

pointed to make a report to the
City Council showing the re
ceipts and disbursements of the
special tax and waterwOrks and
electric light funds.
The report covers the cOllec
ton of the tax since it's levy and
the operation of the plant since
it's establishment, up to the
present time.
A gratifying diSclOS ure of the
report is the one showing the in
crease in the assessment Of the
town. In 1896 the assessment
was S453. $50. 90 and for the year
1902 it was 81. O27, 622.O 90. Such
an increase is certainly an indi-
cation Of Lafayette's prosperity
In recent OmmunicatiOns to
The Gazette Mr.. Grow Girard
has charged the City Council Of
Withholding from the public an
account of their administration
of the public funds, especially of
the SPECIAL tax funds levied for
water and lights. In this we
feel compelled to say that the
writer has fallen into error. 1t
is a fact that statements and re-
ports containing reasonably full
and complete showing of collec-
tiOnS ana revenue from water
and lights, as we'll as from taxes.
have been published each month
in the proceedings of the COun-
Gil. In our opinion the publica-
ton Of these proceedings comply
with the provision of the law
calling on them to give public
accounts of their adminiStra-
ton. Nevertheless, the Council,
through their committee, have
given in the supplementary re
port referred to, an exact dispO-
SitiOn OF the funds realized from
the special tax and the other re-
venues derived by the operation
of the plant in detail for the in
formation of the public.
The report shows the amount
of money collected during the
seven years from the special
tive-mill tax, something which
could have been easily ascer-
tanned by simple examination
of the tax rolls of the town. In
view Of this fact the statement
made by Mr.. Girard of the APP
parent mystery to find the total
amount of the tax collected is
without ground or reason.
From the report we gather
that the total tax collections
from the special tax amount to
S25, 1914. SO: that the amount paid
for bonds and interest is S23,-
10000, and the cash on hand is
2,174.97, and this accounts with
an unimportant difference for
the proper disbursement of the
tax funds.
1t has been charged that suf-
ticient money has already been
collected to retire the whole is
sue of the bonds. 1t is palpab BILE
that such is not the case On
the contrary the sum of 81, 513. 80
has been expended from the
general fund to improve and re-
pair the plant and furnish to the
public an adequate supply Of
water and lights as the growth
of the town rendered it neceS-
Sary.
The mittee has done every
thing that could be expected of
them in giving the public a COM
plete and detailed account of the
funds upon which they had been
delegated to report. There need
now exist no doubt in the mind
of any one that a proper applica-
ton has been made Of the pub
lie funds. The Gazette does not
deny the right of any citizen to
make inquiry into the method of
the dis endorsements of taxes, but
in this instance, no occasion has
arisen, in our opinion, for ques-
tiOning their legitimate expendi-
ture: certainly, in view of the