The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-27
MAYOR GETS MORE
Chairman of Proposed City Com
mission and Salary.
Now Law Provides He Shall
Have 50 900 Year.
OTHERS 500 A MONTH.
Population Will Be Used as
Basis for Compensation.
Other City Officials Will Remain
the Same.
OTHERS 500 A MONTH.


| Population will govern the amounts
| to be paid to the mayor, known as
chairman, and the remaining four COM
missioners for salaries when municipal
government by a commission goes into
effect. The mayor as chairman will
receive a higher compensation than his
colleagues on the commission These are
further recommendations of the charter
committee of the City club.
Cities having a population of 10, 900
and not exceeding $4,000, may pay their
mayor not to exceed s., 500 a year ard
| their remaining four commissioners not
10 exceed 81 600.
Cities having a population of from
10000 to $4,000 may have a salary list
with maximum specified for their
mayor of not to exceed $1,000 and COM
missiOners not to exceed 81, 200
Cities of population in excess OF
10000 may have a maximum specified
for mayor at $1,000 a year and for the
commissioners OF not to exceed $4,000 a
year.
The act covers only cities of the first
class SO that cities having a population
of less than $4,000 are not affected.
The salary of city treasurer remains
at $1,000 regardless of the size of the
city. This same applies to all other
appointive officials.
The office of street commissioner is
to pay not to exceed 81 500 that CT
city clerk $780, city attorney with u
maximum OF $4,000 and city engineer the
same.
A majority vote of the board of COM
missioners will suffice in making APP
pointments.
The mayor is required to give at
least six hours each day to the duties
of his position in cities of less than
$4,000 population and all of his time
in cities OF larger size.
The new job Of city assessor and
collector of taxes with several more
of deputy nature will make the pie
which the commissioners of Topeka
can cut several feet larger in diameter
than the pie which the city cuts every
two years right after the municipal
election. The charter committed
which has drawn up sections of the
new. city charter to be proposed at
this coming session of the legislature
has embodied and endorsed direct levy
and collection of taxes. by the city in
stead of turning over that function to
the county as has been the custom for
years and is now in effect. The posi-
ton of city assessor and collector of
taxes will be placed on the same plans
Of Importance as the present office of
city clerk, city. treasurer, etc, and the
nurab Der of ASSISTANTS employed in this
office Will probably be greater than
any other with the exception of that of
city engineer. Shawnee county will
probably not assent to this change in
the present city charter act without
consfdera BILE of a fight as the big end
OF the revenue that comes in from tax
Topeka. In proportion with the bene-
FITS received the city of Topeka ex-
Ponds more on the county improve
nents from the taxes paid in assessed
against city property than all of
Shawnee county put together and
OF the appointing a city assessor and
collector a direct tab could be kept on
all of the unpaid taxes due the city
and uncollected. Under the present
system no such result can be obtained
1t is believed that there is upwards of
100000 of taxable property. with taxes
assessed. which is owing the city and
which could be collected if proper
statement could be secured showing
the delinquent tax roll.
The charter committee further
plans for the office of city auditor and
specified his duties as follows:
Section 1. Tt shall be the duty of
the auditor to examine in detail all
bills accounts and claims against tn e
said city and if found correct. sign
his name in approval thereof; but. if
found incorrect, he shall return them
to the party presenting the same for
correction. He shall be the general
accountant of the said city. and shall
keep in books regular accounts of all
real, personal and mixed property of
the said city, of all receipts and dis
proper heads. separa tely. each source
of receipt and the cause of each dis
bursement; and shall also keep an
account with each person. including
the officers, who have money transac-
lions with the said city, crediting
amounts allowed by proper authority.
and specifying the particular transac-
ton to which such entries apply. It
shall also be his duty at least once
each month to examine the books of
account of all officers of said city |
charged with the receipt and dis |
bursement of money and, il they be !
found incorrect, to at once make a /
report in writing of the same to the |
commissioner of finance and revenue /
It shall also be his duty to examine all I
warrants and countersign the same |
after appropriation has been duly |
made to pay the same by said board /
Of commissioners; and he shall render |
such other services from time to time |
as the board of com missiOners may di- |
rect Before entering upon the dis
charge of his duties he shall give a.
good and sufficient bond. with two OF
more sureties, to be approved by the /
mayor and the commissioner of |
finance and revenue. in the sum of ten /
thousand dollars ($10, 100000, for the |
faithful performance of his duties He |
shall receive a salary not exceeding /
one thousand eight hundred dollars /
f1SOO.00) per annum-
Found Dead in Bed.
Liverpool, Dec. 27.-The Russian /
here (<Oionel Degeinanann