The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-23
Believed That Finance
Committee Will Make
Recommendations.
RMORY FOR BLUES
OVER NEW MARKET
Reported That Proposition Will
Be Made to Put Up a Big
Building at Sixth and
Broad-The Budget
Awaited Will,
Interest.


Almost universal interest attaches to tho
revelation OF the recommendations OF the
Finance Committee In the annual budget |
next Monday night. The preliminary work
OF the committee was done by n budget
committee. or subcommittee, consisting
OF Chairman James b. Wood and Coun-
cilmen III. Il. Pollard. Jr.. and Gilbert K.
Pollard. This committee labored hard on
the work entrusted to It. and there Is rea-
Son to believe that the Finance Commit
tee has little left to do but to endorse
the recommendations OF the budget COM
,nttcc and send them on to the Council ,
for adoption.
Reduce Taxes.
There will be many surprises when the
contents of the budget are made known,
though Just what they are members will
not tell.
4 IT is intimatcd that there will be
1t least one very pleasant surprise. and
me that Will interest every citizen OF
Richmond Further than this no pos
tive information could be CLEANED by
the sounding process. and inference
must be rcsorted TO. Just what can
pleasantly affect all The citizens OF
Richmond Is difficult to conjecture, un-.
less 1t be matter OF revenue. The
committee may have recommended an
Increase the rate of taxation. or IT.
may be decrease, but which 1t Is
10 one viii say who knows positively.
slt may be some matter affecting the
anncxed suburbs. or 1t may he many
,hings. but taxation is about the only
thinE within the purview OF the
Finance Committee which affects all
classes Of citizens.
fltF5l The prasenf tay ~
city. including the suburbs, is $1.40.
per hundred dollars OF valuation. The
city had a snug balance left over from
last years expenditures, but consider
able money for special purposes was
raised by bond issues 49,
t& On the other hand. muci, money was
eAyed to the city by the issue Of re-
demption bonds bearing lower interest
rate than those redeemed and retired.
The batance coming over from 1906 Is
$To,602, but Just what the estimated
revenue from the enlarged city vii, be
this year has never been accurately or
other than approximately stated. Some
time before the committee undertook the
work of making up the budget, Sub.
chairman Pollard stated that the total
revenue was about s2,25o,0oo or possi-
bly, s2.3o0000 OF course the matter
has beer more definitely asccrtalned
fince then, but no announcement has
been made thereof. Even at $1,000, 900.
which includes the balance from last
year. the tota! available revenue under
s the present tax rate would be about
100000 in excess GEES Of last year. Before
3 the end of 1906, however, the Council
had appropriated about 100000 more than
the estimated revenues at the begin Ing
of ths year
II tho committee has recommended a
decrease OF taxation this fact will doubt
less be pleasing to every citizen. 1t may
be stated with practical certainty that
1t has not recommended an increase.
Arrnory and Market.
A spacious anl handsome market
building and military armory on the
4 site of the Second Market Is among the
possibilities of the next year or two.
It is quietly rumored that the Finance
I Committee will recommend in connec-
tion with the budget to be reported at
the meeting OF the Common Council
on Monday night the construction of
splendid armory and market build
ing Mt Sixth and Broad Streets. The
8 drill hall of the nrmory Will be sufl1-
ciently large to permit battalion drill
and to serve as q capacious auditorium
for conventions and other large gath
erings. or course, seats would have
to be provided for such occasions but
r. CnalrSs COulu edSl1S w oESut S.A' -
benches.
whether tho suggested armory is to
lie for the Richmond Light Infantry
Blues' Battalion or for all the infnn-
try commands Of the city Is not stated
by those who hint that such a recon-
1nendntion Is included In the budget
1t may be asserted with positiveness
that the city will not attempt to pro-
vide funds out Of this years budget
for the purchase OF the necessary
property and the construction or a
substantial building suchlns Wou!d pc
REQUIRED for the purpose,
There Is good reason to believe that
the proposed armory Is Intended ror
use and occupancy by the Blues Bat
talon. which is about to be enlarged
to three companies. The recommends
y tion that q start will be made to pros
vide an arnory for them will be good
news to the Blues. even though the
construction of the building Is not In
tended for this year.
No Turbine Pumps.
1t may be positively and authorita.
lively stated that no provision is made
; IN the budget for providing a system o.
turbine pumps at the New Pump
House to supplement- the city's clea1
water supply. Tho action Is impor
govern the Council In tho matter. Til,
city Will then be face to face with Il
serious situation. The total pumpin,
capacity of the New Pump.Hous,
euuopment Is now about Is 100000 gal
Ions Of water, and the average dali,
u consumption about 14,O 90 000n gallons
even without including tho annexe,
suburbs.
Under these conditions the necessity O