The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-05-01
EsT|MATORs PARE
81 D GET To
s5,204,001
AMOUNT TO BE RAISED BY TAXA
TON ONLY SLIGHTLY IN Ex-
CESS OF LAST YEAR's-TAx
RATE ABOUT $3.50.

The board Of estimates concluded
its sessions Thursday evening, and
the tax rate this year will be about
$3.50 on the $1,000 OF assessed val
uation, as compared with S15.46 last
year. The largest budget ever SUBJ
mitted has been cut down TO about
the same size as the total of last
years appropriations.
Ii wns the intention to make the
last session love feast, but the plans
miscarried Just a trifie. Estimator
Frank D. Andrus made a rufie by
bringing up a question with regard TO
the abandonment OF the boulevard
speedway project. Then Estimator
Barnett got up to protest against the
agreement BIZ which all attempts to
reconsider items In the budget were
TO be smothered
1T is uot economy for the city to
deny work to the poor" he said. 1T
! is not wise TO refuse needed improve
ments this year when work Is so bad.
ly needed"
He wanted the estimate for resur-
facing st. Antoine-st allowed, claim.
| ing that its poor condition eofnpels
the firemen to use other streets which
have street cars and that there Is dan
ger OF collision and loss OF life
through this arrangement.
But the agreement stuck, and Bar
nett was brushed aside after lively
tilt with Estimator Rasch, who was In
the chair.
Then the customary food of
speeches was on Aid Heineman made
a departure from custom by inserting
some very gentle roasts into his talk.
You have given us very reason.
able tax rate--perhaps too reason
able" he said.
Then he went on to speak of the
custom Of other years of the estima-
tors seeking counsel and information
from city officials, taking 1T as a mo-
table thing that the estimators had
been so wise and wellinformed this
year that they did not find 1t neces.
sary to seek information.
City Clerk CASTOR and President
Lempke, OF the estimators, were given
presents, the former getting an UNI
brella and the latter a gavel. Speeches
were made by Thomas G.. Craig, Con-
troller Doremus. Aid. Gilman and
others. Commissioner Haarer, OF the
d. p. W.. whose funds were cut ruth
lessly. and. In some cases, without
consideration. got up and left the
room before he could be called on to
speak.
Haarer and Doremus had wished to
address the board In regard to extra
clerks to take care OF increasing work
In the city Offices. but they were In
formed that an agreement had been
reached among the ruling spirits in
the board OF estimates, not to open up
the budget by consideration OF any
item.
Either we were here to right any
wrongs that might have been done BY
committees in making up the esti-
mates, OF we were here to get the S."
said Estimator Barnett, after the meet
ing. Evidently a majority OF the
estimators thought the latter to be
the proper thing"
The funds which receive the largest
increases this year are the fire, police
and general road funds. The general
fund, which pays salaries Of city Of
fcers. is also increased. and the park
fund gets slight boost. There is an
apparent drop In the school funds.
due to the receipt of more primary
school money from the state.
The detailed statement of the bud
get follows: