The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-13
City Must Meet the Increased
Expenditures.
Council Will Probably Ask for
More Taxes.
HEAVY PAVING COST.
This Is a Big Item That Must
Be met.
This Item Will Amount to
$4,000 This Year.

For the first time in two years the
tax levy for meeting the running ex-
penses of Topeka city proper will
probably have to be- increased.
The large amount of paving which
will be contracted for next week is
responsible for the probable increase.
The city pays off yearly $4,000 in i'm
provement bonds for paving and of
this amount the city's proportion is
close to 100000. This year the city S
proportion of the new paving will APP
proximate $4,000 when all of the
work is contracted for. This means
an increase of $1,000 over the amount
collectible at the rate of the levy in
force this past year.
The levy provides one and seven
tenths of mill on every dollar for the
redemption and retirement of one
tenth of the Improvement bonds. The
entire issue of the bonds becomes due
at the expiration of ten years, one
tenth being payable each year.
II don't see how We can reduce 1T
any and it is possible that we will
have to increase the amount of the
levy said Councilman Samuel t.
Howe, chairman of the ways and
means committee whose committee
meets this evening. Il think it is
will be brought up this evening"" said
Mayor VIM. Green. "It is imperative
to have the question of levy settled as
soon as possible. have no idea of
what will be done in advance of the
committees action. 1 hardly think
it likely the levy will be reduced. 1t
will depend upon the paving"
Both Councilman Howe and Mayor
Green agree that the following funds
will not be changed as to the amount
of the levy; general revenue fund,
general improvement fund sinking,
interest coupons, interest of water
bonds, park fund. judgment and Ii
brary fund. The two general funds
are as large as the law allows, they are
right up against the handle and can't
be increased.
The interest on water bonds will not
change appreciably the park fund is as
large as the ways and means committee
thinks expedient though the park COM
missioners would like to have more. The
judgment fund has remaining credited
to it about $500 with law suit pending
which involves $1,000. If the suit goes
against the city 1t will be absolutely
necessary to leave the judgment fund
remain intact, while the library fund is
a constant quantity.
The funds for the redemption of i'm
provement bonds and the fund to pay
interest on these bonds are the disputed
funds. Both of these are dependent
upon this years paving and the ways
and means committee has not collected
sufficient data to indicate whether it
will have, to recommend an increase in
the size of the levy for these two
particular items.
This will be the first time in several
years at which it has been found inn
possible to make reduction in the
of the levy
Last year the levy was decreased by
5 hundredths of mill. very slight but
still a reduction; the year previous to
that it was reduced by one and one-half
mills. The big reduction at that time
was due to a cut in the amount collect
ible for judgments and for interest and
principal on improvement bonds.
The city never collects all of the taxes |
fully due Last year the delinquencies
amounted close to $40, 600. If the taxes |
could be fully collected it would be pos
sible to cut down the levy some.
The Increase In the valuation of the |
,ity though not fully determined because
the board of equalization has not yet |
returned an abstract is believed will !
show an increase of about 100000 which !
will mean, in receipts based on the pres |
snt levy, about $4,000.
The levy in effect last year return /
ID the following amounts to the vari- |
ous funds of the city based on a valua-
ion of $11, 839, 271.56: