Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-03-01
PLAN FOR REDUCING
THE CITYS EXPENSES
Resolution Recommends Appointment
of Committee 10 Consider Ways OF
Eliminating Unnecessary Items in
sudeet-Agree Charge Of Sxtrava-
aance Would be Justifable.


the city council finance committee Is
aGopted by the council. the money
necessary to maintain the city pub
lie schools next session will be forth
coming from the city, while both the
council and the school board viii re-
french. the trustees pruning wher-
ever possible without impairing the
present efficiency of the school system
and the city soions cutting down ex-
penses BY consolidating some OF the
city Offices, purchasing all supplies for
the city at wholesale prices and CON
Quoting the city government general
Iiv on a more business-like and econom-
ical basis.
Before the finance committee met
in regular session last night, Chair
man Caleb ID. West. Councilman Il. |.
Ford, Councilman J. G. Wallace ana
Alderman c. G.. helms held some
what lengthy conference during which
the entire situation was gone over
very carefully. When the committee
assembled for its meeting. Councilman
Ford brought up the matter OF the
school levy. He called attention TO
the fact that In the annual budget,
which is to be acted upon by the COM
mon council tonight, the committee
had recommended school levy OF
% cents on the 800. which will be
equal in round figures to $26.Z00.
This sum he said was wholly insult
ficient to run the schools and that
unless more money was provided by
the council the same wrangle between
the council and school board would
come up again next year. He pointed
out that the advertisement thus gain
ed by the city did much harm and
that the city could i'll afford such pub
licity at any time.
Lay No School Levy.
Mr. Ford then stated that he had
been told by the school trustees that
they could adopt a policy of retrench-
ment and cut down the running eX-
penses from $4,000 to $4,000 next SEES
sion. and still not reduce the pay OF
any of the teachers. The speaker
then said that he thought the city
council should lay no school levy
at all, making the city tax for gem
eral purposes S1.25 on the 800 as
heretofore, and TO appropriate about
S35, 900 out OF the general fund, $780,
eco of the amount TO be pad on De-
cember l. and the remaining $4,000
to be paid about March /. 1911.
This cannot be done unless the
council adopts a policy of retrench-
ment." continued the speaker. "Offic-
ers must be consolidated and othei
expenses cut down. | know that 1t is
an unpleasant thing to do away with
offices. but il is our duty to the city
20 do II. { think then that we should
commend 20 the council that re-
trenchment committee be appointed
and for that committee 10 get to work
at once so that it can present its re-
Tort to the council and have the re-
.renchment policy become effective
before July |. when the election OF
officers comes up. Either this must
be done or the schools must be clos
cd before the session ends
Another Plan Suggested.
Chairman West agreed with the
views expressed by Mr. Ford regard
ing the retrenchment policy for the
city. hut he did not think the council
should agree to appropriate $4,000 or
more until the retrenchment policy
was successfully carried out and the
council saw where IL was at
Mr.. West went en- to say that the
council had accused the school board
Of extravagsnce. but that no one had
produced any proof to support the
accusations. I'D hate TO have Mr.
Bstchelcr get hold Of ms and show our
extravaganza" continued the speaker.
We are extravagant in the conduct
Of tie citv's affairs and II is time that
We were meeting the issue Squareiy
and cutting down expenses wherever
they can be cut down. And inthis con
pectiOn the matter Of the appointment
q a purchasing committee 10 buy the
supplies for the city can be taken up
by the retrcnchment committee
Appoints Retrenehment Committee.
Alderman Nelms and Councilman
Wallace conceded with the views ex-
pressed by the other two members
aud MI Ford moved that the com
m.s;ee recommend to the council that
an appropriation Of $4,000 be made
out Of the general fund for the schools
and tina; the school levy b. abolished.
He further recommended that tho
committee send special message to
the council setting forth that the s26.-
oOo - wholly inadequate Tor the con
duct ~ the schools and that the
council appoint retrenchmcnt com
nr'i,ec &c consolidate whatever city
oficcs possible and otherwise reduce
the running expenses q the govern
meni - that the S2S0oo sppropria.
ton can b. supplemented BY an ap-
preparation o. 5000 later in the next
session.
Tbs resolution was unanimously
edopied and u VIII b. drawn IN rcgu-
Jar form TODAY by Chairman West.
CITY Attorney MaSsie and CITY Clerk
Hufrins and presented 20 the common
rnlInr-l Inr-rhI a. 4 --.h-lLl..l.. l.r ~