The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-10-05
In the Adoption of the Budget
For Next Year Municipal
Rate Is Pared From $1.1O
Down to $1.O5.
$4,000 IS PROVIDED
FOR REID HOSPITAL
This Was the Only Change
Made in the Budget as Pre-
pared by the ControIIer-A
"Warm" Session.

Differences of opinion. for which pol
ttics is held responsible. almost
brought Webster Parry, city controller
and Watson P. O'Neal, republican
member Of the board of works, to
blows last evening, when council and
the administration were considering
the advisability in 1910 of reducing the
price the city pays for arc lights from
$76, the present rate, to $4S as recon-
mended by Mr.. Parry in his budget.
Strong words were used by the two
men, and Immediately after Mr.. Parry
made his denunciation Of the member
of the board, he took his hat and left
the council chamber.
Things cooled down considerably fol-
lowing Mr.. Parry's exit and council
proceeded to pass two ordinances, rec
commended by the finance committee.
The first was the ordinance embody-
ing the budget of city expenses for the
calendar year. 1910, and the second, an
ordinance fixing the tax rate of the
city at one dollar per 500 assessed val
uation for the general fund and five
cents per 500 assessed valuation for
sinking fund, making the tax rate
81 .O6, a reduction of five cents on the
500 assessed valuation ratio. The
poll tax demanded by the city is SO
cents per head. Both ordinances were
passed by unanimous vote, but neither
were signed Immediately by Mayo:
Schillinger.
Statement by Mayor.
Mayor Schillinger stated that he did
not know whether he would sign the
ordinances or not. Neither did lie
promise that he would veto the same.
It is entirely probable that the ordi-
nance fixing the budget Of city ex-
penses for next year will not be signed
as 1t contained an appropriation of $3.-
OoO for Reid Memorial hospital, a very
odious measure to the democrats. 1t
has always been the custom for the
present democratic administration to
refuse to favor the hospital.
With the exception of the addition of
the hospital appropriation, no changes
were made in the budget by the finance
committee as originally reported by
Controller Parry. The total amount
of the estimated expenses Of the city
next year is $155.cOO
An Unexpected squabbie.
No opposition was made in the least
to the appropriation for the hospital by
the executive branch Of the city gov
ernment. However, q long and some
what bitter squabble arose over an en-
tirely unexpected source-the city light
plant.
In preparing the budget for next
year. Mr.. Parry had lowered the rate
to be paid by the city for street light
ing from $1s5 to 4S per light per year.
He said he did this because the plant
was now on self sustaining basis and
that 1t was only fair to the city that =
reduction be made In order that the
tax payers would reap the reward in
a lower tax rate. The reduction ap-
peared to be very large and most haz-
ardous undertaking to members OF
council. and an agitation was started
the rate proposed by Parry to $50 or
$S year.
1t was stated by Mr.. Parry and City
Attorney T J. Study that such a rate
would result in the city receiving
$4,000 a year surplus from itself.
which could be used for no purpose
except to be expended on the light
plant. Great stock was made OF the
fact that the surplus money received
in the operation of the plant could not
be used by the city and. in case it
could not be used on the plant fmme-
diately. 1t only could be placed on de-
posit and draw two per cent interest
per annum.
Met With Opposition.
Mr.. Study and Mr.. Parry met oppo
sition from members of council. Mr..
Won Pien said that these two officials
knew well enough that there was rea-
son for making the rate Of street light