The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-26
Council Committee to Check Up
Tax Funds.
Mr.. Wright Is Employed to DO
the Work.
A SERIOUS PROBLEM.
Must Curtail Expenses and In
crease Revenue.
Work Of Trimming Has Already
Commenced.

William Green, chairman of the
ways and means committee of the city
council which held its first meeting
Monday night, announced to the mem
bers of the committee that John NJ.
Wright, assistant county treasurer, is
now engaged upon the preparation for
the city Of a complete statement of
the amount of delinquent taxes due to
the city from each fund
Il called upon Mr. Wright" said Mr.
Green, land had him explain the stu
ton to me fully. He told me that if
I would get him a suitable book, he
would go through the records and en-
ter in that book the exact amount due
the city in delinquent taxes on each
of the funds, for each year back to
1898. I accepted this offer, and bought
the book for Mr.. Wright. When we
get this statement, it can be kept at
the city treasurer's office, and added
to year by year to show just how
much is coming in and how much is
still due"
This information which Mr.. Green
has obtained for the city is what has
been needed for a long time. Numer-
GUS futile efforts have been made by
various city officials to get this in
formation, but they have been unable
to reach any satisfactory agreement
with the county Officials. who are the
only ones who understand how the in
formation must be obtained. Mr.
Green has signaIized his entrance to
active committee work Of the council
by making lis valuable contribution
to the financial records of the city.
By knowing exactly what the city
has due in delinquent taxes, 1t will be
, possible to reach a more satisfactory
! basis for the financial management Of
city affairs. There are some paved
blocks in the city which are far in
/ arrears for their taxes, and the
; chances are that the city will have to
wait for the property to be sold for
! taxes before it will get what is COM
ing to it,
) The members of the newly appointed
? ways and means committee are Will
] lam Green. L. A. Ryder, Joseph Grlley,
i. M. Nellis, S. T. Howe and J. W. F.
Z Hughes. 1t is remarkably strong
: committee, most of its members having
l been close students of city finances Tor
some time. The committee has some
l hard financial problems before it, but
under the vigorous leadership of VIII
lam Green it got down to business last
night in a very gratifying manner
How to increase the city'S income
and cut down its expenses is the pro-
blem constantly confronting the ways
and means committee.
Under the head of increasing reve-
nues, the following schemes were dis
cussed at some length last night:
Poll tax on all residents of the city
between the ages of q and As. This,
it would claimed, would reach about
200 people in the city who at present
$ contribute nothing in the form OF
t Tax on vehicles and bicycles. which
, would be levied and collected some
! thing in the way the dog tax is now
1t was also suggested that the city
charge a small rental fee for the use
2 of the city council chamber, and that
I the proceeds be put into fund TO
= pay for papering the room, which is
/ sadly in need of such repairs.
; When it came to shutting down On
= extra expenses. the committee took
; very determined and vigorous stand.
, 1t turned down the proposition for
5 a revision of the city ordinances and
l publication of a new ordinance book,
/, which would cost $2,500-
3 1t turned down the scheme for the
l widening of Crane street at the city
( mark which would cost the city at
! least $1,000. besides an additional ex-
s pense of probably $4,000 for paving
= the street after it is opened.
= 1t turned down the petition for
? pavement on West Fifth street, which
= would cost the city at large at least
T $500, and probably much more.
/ Several plans for saving money
! were also discussed One proposition
E was that the city should install the
necessary machinery at the city cleo
2 trjc light plant for supplying all the
f incandescent lights which the city
2 needs The city's lighting bill, for the
- city hail. police station and fire sta
p tions. amounts to about $4,000 a
year, and in a couple of years this
would pay the cost of putting in the
necessary machinery at the city plant.
1t was also decided to purchase a
new horse for the patrol wagon and
several new horses for the fire de
. partment which will make it unnec-
q essary to hire extra horses. 1t costs
81 a day to hire extra horses, and the
city has already spent enough in this
= way to buy several horses.
The question of building a small
Y J g. TaS
d and putting a chemical engine there
= was discussed and referred to the fire
marshal with instructions to get esti-
mates on the expense
q The committee will also present tC
e the council a resolution requiring al
O building contractors to file with the
|. / city a $4,000 bond to protect the city
Q against damage suits. At present con-
r tractors are careless about leaving
material in the streets without warn
ing lanterns at night and severa
damage suits have resulted which cos
@ the city a good deal of money.
4 1t was decided to recommend to The
: council that the city at once pay it,
i annual dues of $25 to the Kansas Mu-
Y nicipal league. The league Will NEE
T in Topeka next year.
1 Councilman Howe's proposed plaH
/ for the management of the water
q works when they come into the pos
: session of the city was not taken VI
for discussion because of the tangled
? condition of the WaterWOrks deal a
: the present time. The matter will b'
allowed to lay over until the situation
clears up a little
Neither did the committee take VI
the estimates filed by the various cit,
= officials on their expenses for the com
!: ing year. for the reason that not all o.
the estimates have yet been filed.