The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-01
TAX RATE WILL Be
CLOSE TO $3.50
Estimators Finish Work, Leaving
Budget To Be Spread On Rolls At
$6,332, 762.75-Machines Win.

probability for Detroit this year from
the appropriations made by the board
Of estimates, which finished its work
Friday night. This years budget foots
up to $7.11S.6s6.15. OF which $685.
1915 will be raised by direct taxation.
while the remainder comes from sale
OF bonds. state primary school money.
court fines, license fees, etc. :
When the board first met. a month
ago. 1t was realized that the low tax
rate OF last year. 1854. could not be
duplicated, but few on the board an
ticipated the high tax rate finally
reached 1t was the sentiment on the
board at adjournment that the city
had to have a big year" on account
OF the policy OF the estimators In pre-
vious years in cutting out items that
should have been allowed. and a lower
rate next year Is expected.
The final working session OF the
board. Friday afternoon. lasted over
four hours, and was a turbulent and
scrappy affair all through. A dozen
different proposals were debated. The
most eloquent oratory was devoted to
the item authorizing voting machine
bonds to the amount of $125. 900, which
finally passed with very little opposi-
ton, only Estimators Klebba, Kul-
wicki, Liphardt, O'Neill and Richard
son voting against 1t.
President f. A. Sumner, Of the
Board Of Commerce. made the prin-
cipal argument against the bonds.
Mayor Breitmeyer spoke for them and
q number of others were heard.
Floods In Fairview. which put the
Lillibridge school out of commission
and stopped the street cars, had much
10 do with the allowance Of $4,000
for the purchase of site and construc-
tion OF pumping station and sewer to
relieve the low district. This item
had been cut out at first. Aid. Trevor
spoke on the matter.
After being beaten several times In
his efforts to get a new school In the
lower end Of the Sixteenth ward to
relieve the Gillies, Bellefontaine and
McKinstry schools. Estimator Miller
finally succeeded in getting the item
allowed. Eddie Barnett acted as floor
leader in the battle. but the board
cut down the amount allowed for a
site so that the school board cannot
purchase the site picked out on Clark
ave. opposite Clark park
There was constant fighting over
items in the general road fund, which
was taken up for the FIRST time. Most
bitter was the scrap over replacing
the Michigan-ave. brick pavement with
creosoted block az far west as Wash
ington boulevard. The argument used
for this was that the business men
along the street wanted a quieter
pavement and that the guests In the
Hotel Cadillac could not sleep early
In the morning. The item was de-
clared approved on the first vote. but
the opponents OF the plan were not
satisfied with the count and brought
II I'D again. winning decisively. An ef-
fort was made to secure its allowance
later. but Il did not come to vote.
As the result Of another spirited
fight. the street cleaning funds OF the
city were allowed en- masse without
single /cut from the figures OF the
common count" The estfmators' CONF
mittee had cut these funds. but EST
mator Barnett made motion by
which all the funds were left Intact.
In previous years the estimators have
always cut these items and the alder
men have always had to piece them
out at the end OF the fiscal year 10y
transferring money from other funds.
An item for a steel bridge over the
Michigan Central at Fourteenth-st.
was cut out on the advice Of Corpora
ton Counsel Hally that the city may
be able to get a better bargain with
the company Commissioner Haarer
announced that he would at once close
the bridge to travel as unsafe.
Estimator Andrus tried to secure a
cut In the salary allowed by the COM
mittee TO Supt. Aldrich. in charge OF
the street cleaning and garbage col
lection. He wanted 1t placed at 1.500
instead OF 81, 800. but was beaten. Then
the beoard turned about and opened
the park budget to increase the salary
OF Bookkeeper Rich to $1,000. which
increase Andrus committee had dis
approved Of.
An item for repaving Fifteenth-st.,
from Mjchigan.ave. south to the rail-
road. was cut out because OF uncer-
tainty as to the plans OF the railroads
for a terminal In that vicinity.
The heaviest cutting In the road
funds was in creosoted block pave
ment. Originally, there was $2SS.O00
OF creosote pavement passed by the
council. but less than one-tenth OF this
was approved by the estimators.
An evening session was held at
which the budget was formally APPROX
ed and various resolutions adopted.
CITY Clerk Nichols and his stan. Sec
rotary Schreiter and others were given
their usual compensation for extra
work. Estimator Barnett tried to got
SIS extra money for each Of the eleva-
tor men. instead of $40. but the lib
erality OF the board had reached its
limit and he failed. There were no
anal speeches. everybody being tried
N,,t