The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-10-13
ECONOMY IS
HAVING EFFECT
City's Financial Condition
Improved.
AUDITOR ELlI0TT'S FIGURES
Official Shows Condition of
City Funds.
Rigid Economy Oycrcomes Loss of
Liquor Revenue and Big Deficit
Left by "NIillion Dollar Co,,ncil...
officials arc Commended,

-
City Auditor Harry S. Elliott has
issued a statement i'm the form of a
communication to the city officials. /
relating the financial standing of the
city treasury and disclosing many in
teresting facts. lie commends the
mayor ana other city officers for
their methods of economy used in
steering the municipal ship of state
through the stormy financial seas.
The auditor declares that the period
greatest siringency in city financial
affairs is practically over
The statement of Auditor Elliott
follows:
To the Honorable Mayor, Boards
of Public Safety aud Service. and
Heads of Departments Of the City of
Marion, Ohio:
Gentlemen. With the present fs-
cal year little more than three -fourths
gone, | deem 1t advisable to submit
a statement giving you an idea OF
the standing of the funds of the var
ious departments, so that you may
regulate expenses IL order to have
the finances OF the city in the best
possible condition at the close OF the
year, December 81.
The clty's business during the years
1908 and 1909 has demanded the ut
most care and economy on the par
of all legislative and executive boards
and heads owing TO scarcity OF
funds that has existed throughout
this time. During the period previous
TO 1908, III Getty was provided with
plenty of money and the officials were
not required to worry about q
source OF revenue for any purpose. A.
the beginning of 1903. however, the
treasury was found to be at n low
ebb, the entire surplus having been
expended and even taxes drawn in
advance to meet current expenses and
TO pay for various improvements. All
of the officials at> once realized that
1t would be impossible to continue
on the same scale of expense as had
been maintained during preceding
years and 1t was agreed that economy
should necessarily be practiced in all
departments.
That the spirit of economy has
prevailed at all times is a fact evil
denced by the present condition of
the city's finances. Despite that the
year 1908 was begun with a decided
shortage OF funds and that the city
was later deprived of $4,000 annual
revenue by the voting out of the sa-
looms, our finances are in good shape
and III the various boards continue
TO keep expenses at the lowest posi-
BILE notch the city will close the year
with some of its accounts showing
balances and with only small over
drafts in ether accounts. In order to
accomplish this, however. it must be
borne IN mind that the same spirit OF
economy that has prevailed during
past months must be maintained and
II possible still more of decrease In
expenditures should be made.
An examination of the books In this
Office show that the average monthly
expenditure from the general fund
during the past nine months has been
$6l0.9S At this rate 1t will require
81 ,S329i TO meet the expenses of this
fund, from which arc paid various Of
fetal salaries and like Obligations,
during the last three monthsof this
year. On October the balance In this
fund was sl,3l79i. or $515 less than
the sum needed. The mayor, however,
turns in enough revenue from fines
and licenses TO more than make up
this shortage. so that the general
fund should show balance at the
close OF the year. That this fund
should be in excellent shape gives
evidence OF the policy OF economy
which the city has been observing,
when we consider the fact that half
Of the liquor revenue, amounting to
over $4,000 a year, Formerly went TO
is credit and that the fund has been
without that revenue all or this year.
TO Mayor Scherff, whose diligence in |
fines aud licensees has been
highly commendatory, belongs much |
credit for keeping the general fund
we'll supplied. Despite the fact that !
he has been hampered by a lack of
proper ordinances and other authority