Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-05-27
Want TOO MUCH
E. L. Eastman Says County Can
Be Run for Less Money
Than Is Asked.
AT THE COMING ELECTION
Figures Deficit About $4,000 Year
While Request Is Made for
$4,000 Extra.

Moline, H., May 27.-Editor Argus: I
Twice have the people of this county !,
voted down the proposition to levy a |
8 mill tax $50 cents on the $500 of |
valuation), and yet the board of super
visors is again submitting the PROPOSE ,
|tion at the coming judicial election to ,
be held June z.
The county has no bonded debts, I'M
like many counties in the state, but it |
has a floating debt of $125,000. The |
people voted a mill tax to pay for |
1.-THE court house additional revenue
$500, O00), but like in uearlyoall legis- !
lative bodies, the spirit of extravaganza !
has prevailed cit is easy to hand out
other peoples money!, and when the
Hast bond was paid a few years ago.
the board was behind on its current
Expenses, and that is the situation %
day.
If the board of supervisors was ask
ing the tax payers to vote enough
money to wipe out this old debt, and
put the county on a better financial
basis, and the tax payers had any as
sun ance that the county board would
mot, by wasteful expenditures, get the
county again in debt, the tax would
probably be voted. But the county
board is not satisfied to have this old
Indebtedness paid off; it wants the
ItaX payers to vote 1000 a year addi-
ltional money for current expenses.
THAT is what the resolution spread
tupen the records of the county pro-
vides. To justify the request for this
additional expense money, the state
ment has been made on many occa-
lsions that the county expenditures are
SOLO a year, while the revenue
from county taxes is but $4,000.
| am prepared to give below, for the
information of the public, detailed
statement of the receipts and eXpendi-
lures of the county taken from the
records of the county.
Deficit About $4,000.
The expenses for 1908 were, less
credits, $S7 Jos, with a revenue from
taxes of $4,000, leaving difference
of $4,000. The records of the county
Dt
of $91 900, based on orders cashed by
him during 1908; but as some of his
I orders may have been carried over
from December, 1907, because of in.
sufficient funds with which to pay, no
! tably orders drawn from the Circuit
4 court, | deem the figures taken from
+ the records of each county office as
I'm ,.alf nhI 81,
ceeded the revenue $4,000. The diff
ference should be considerably less
lduring 1909, if the deficit is not en-
tirely overcome, as | believe can be
done by careful management. Already
this year there have been material re
4 auctions. The amount for jurors has
been cut down $1,000, dieting of pris
d oners $1,000, salary of board of re
view $500. The sum of $500 was pu
in township bridges, and as the coun
lty is now quite well supplied it is no
{ believed half the amount will be re
lquired for 1909-a saving of $4,000
1.-THE Sheriffs' force last year consisted
lof deputy, two turkeys and fiv,
lbailiffs, in all eight men, while Heider
= who preceded him in office, only ha,
l. five men regularly employed, with tw,
extra bailiffs on when court was il
= Isession. The sum of $1,000 could b
saved here without injury to anyone
:, and if this matter is properly present
:. ed to the court and to Sheriff Kitti
> sen they will no doubt be willing t
:. reduce expenses here.
The four men in County CIerl
Hubbards office each get salaries @
$500 year, and then are allowed a
additional $1,470 for work upon tn
:. tax books
This last charge to regular EN-
" ployes of the county and upon fixe
II salaries should not be allowed. /
the force is inadequate during tn
40 days in which this work is bein
10 done, provide more clerks at fixe
n compensation, but never allow a lum
sum of such size to the regular en-
pIoyes. Here nice sum could b
saved.
The above items alone will reduc
I'd expenses $1,000, and are nearly sufl
cient to wipe out the difference {
n $4,000 between receipts and expend
r, lures.
lgl Encourages Extravaganza.
ot The people are already taxed enough
To vote the county board $35 900
I'd year additional expense money at tn
s. time will only encourage the board |
spend the money more freely. Count
re. officers will ask to have their pay il