The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-02
City Officers Evidently Pay No
Attention to Revenues.
Spent Over 1900 More Than
Income for January
WHAT THIS MEANS.
Floating Debt for Year, at This
Rate. Would Be $21, 800
Why 1t Is Necessary for the
Exercise of Economy.


city can spend about $11.25O a month
without going into debt for current ex-
penses.
In the month of January, the city
spent $13,0905O for current expenses,
thus exceeding the limit by over $1,000.
At this rate, the city will be $21, 900 in
debt at the end of the year following the
$79, coo issue of bonds which paid off all
the floating Indebtedness. The bonds
will pay the city's floating debt up to
December 1, 1903
There is growing sentiment that the
city pay rolls are too heavy, and it is
likely that an effort will be made to cut
down on the expenses of the various
department pay rolls. The police de-
partnent pay roll is running over 50, 900
a month. the fire department has got up
to $500. and there are believed to be
opportunities in other departments to
cut down on the working force without
losing any in effectiveness. The pay
rolls for January were as follows:
S4ty oIncers --.---.--- II, 1904
Sanitary department ............ 410.1S
FIRE department NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $3.50. Is
street commissioner --.......... 1,14S. IA
Electric light department ....... 610.83
Engineering department -...... $4,000
Police department ......-........ 2,01S. SO
In addition to the above, are all the
incidental expenses of the departments.
coal, light, water, stationery. court
costs, feed for horses. repairs for fire
apparatus, feeding Jail prisoners, and
the scores of little bills which come in
to the city for payment every month.
OF the $13090.50 spent last month.
$S.S43.2S went for the employment of
labor and payment of officials, while
$4,747.27 went for incidentals.
When it is stated that $11,250 is the
limit
running expenses, it means that the
average must not be over that Some
months are certain to exceed the limit,
for instance. when a city election is
held. This costs the city about 81 900.
Hence, to keep down the average, some
months must be kept considerably be-
low the 81, $50 mark
This estimate of 81, $50 is arrived at
by. a careful computation of the re-
ceipts for the past five years. 1t can
be safely counted that the tax levy of
mills for general revenue fund and 6
mills for general improvement fund
will raise $120,O00 In addition to this
$120.0 600, the city has certain regular
sources of income They are as fol-
lows: Police fines, food inspector fees
city scales, licenses, dog ak, rent of
auditorium and building permits. This
year two new sources of possible in
come have been added; namely, fees
for excavation permits, and fees for
plumbing inspection. These fees may
net a few hundred dollars, and they
may no more than pay the expenses of
the additional officers required for their
collection
For the past five years the. receipts in
addition to the 1929, 900 taxes have var
led from s13, 741.54 In 1899 to $32, 1902 Ga in
1903. The year 1903 was the year of
Parkers administration, when the joints
were licensed, and as that source of
revenue is now cut off, the year 1908
should not be considered. The average
of the other four years is SIS, 500.
The indications are that this year
there will be a falling off in both police
court receipts and licenses from the
average of the four years prior to 1903.
So far the collection for IL months in
each of these departments has been
about 81 600.
The following tabulation of eeceipts
from all sources except taxes has been
prepared by City Clerk Squires, and
gives information which is of great
value to those interested in the preser-
walton of the city's financial credit: