Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-03

protection, health departments, chart.
ties and corrections, highways and san
itatlon, education and recreation and
interest on the public debt, and 7.6 per
cent was for municipal industrial ex.
penses
About two-thirds of the latter was
for the operation of waterworlSs, and
one-third for public markets and scales,
cemeteries, crematories, wharfs and
electric light plants. \
one-thIrd for Schools.
1t Is a noteworthy fact that of the
total expenses, nearly one-third went
Tor schools. General administration OF
the municipalities, the executive and
legislative branches OF the city govern.
ment, took only SO per cent of the
budget; and the maintenance of the
city courts only one-half of one per
cent. The<per cents of the totals form,
ed by the other principal items of eN
penditure We're as follows: Interest on
city, debts, IL; highways and other than
for cleaning and lighting, s.5; fire de-
partment. 81; police department, 81:
street lighting, 6.2; charities, 8; street
cleaning and refuse disposal, q; health
department. 1.5; library, museums,
ETC.. IL; sewers and sewage disposal,
j; parks and gardens, one half of one
per cent; prisoners, onc-fifth of one per
cent.
There is striking difference be-
tween cities under $4,000 population
and those under $4,000 In expenditures
for police and fire protection. In the
former the fire protection costs on an
average of about one-third more than
police protection. In the latter, police
protection costs two-fifths more than
fire projection. The cost of schools in
the smaller cities was approximately
greater than In the larger, being 81
per cent Of the total expenditures, to
Is per cent for the larger cities. II Is
surprising to note that the total pay
ment for general and municipal SER
vice expenses for the 800 minor cities
included In the report embracing to-
tai population of 5,241 900 amounted to
less than fve-eighths of those of the
single city of New York, which in 1903,
had an estimated population Of 3,716.-
1879.
Receipts Exceed Payments.
In the year 1903 the total amount re-
ceived by the 369 cities on account Of
debt obligation issued to the public
was $2S,750,000 and the total amount
paid to the public for the liquidation
of the principal of municipal debt was
$21, 100000. Thus the receipts exceed
ed the payments by over $7,O00,000 OF
these 369 cities, 2O4 received from the
public more than they paid, thus In
creasing their Indebtedness; while the
payments and receipts of the other two
balanced. A study Of the report will
indicate that as rule the minor cities
are very conservative with reference
to their methods of paying for perma-
nent improvements.
Direct taxes levied upon property in
general were the important sources of
revenue of the minor cities, 76 per cent
of the total. Special taxes amounted to
but little except In Massachusetts and
New York Poll taxes were levied in
$50 cities but were less than / per cent
of the whole revenue. Liquor licenses
brought in rs per cent of the total,
other licenses and permits, o Der cent
and fines ard forfeits~ !. s PER cent. GAts
les In the Southern states reported the
largest collections relatively, from IL
censes other than liquor licenses.
The aggregate debt obligations Of the
1863 cities was $155,000,000 and the
debt, less sinking fund assets, $145..
900 900, or $27.79 per capita. The larg.
est debt per capita was owed by Mt.
Vernon, N. Y, $10715. Only one city,
Morristown, New Jersey, was free from
debt, and in the case of 4S cities, the
debt was less than $40 per capita.
Frank j. Stillman.