The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-08-02
City Commissioners Will Make
Few Improvements.
Budget for 1911 to Cut Down
Municipal Expenses.
"LEMON" FROM COUNCIL
Commissioners Inherited Old
$4,000 Deficit Fund.
Taxes Probably Will Be Same
as Those of Last Year.

a10 II 4AO6O VI A48 n OeSAs
; Municipal improvements in Topeka
for the coming year will be minimized
to such an extent that only the city
work absolutely necessary will be in
cluded in the annual budget which is
being prepared by Commissioner Bone
this weeks.
The sins of the city councils of the
past in leaving for the city commits
sioners an Indebtedness in the form of
a deficit of the general revenue fund
amounting to almost $4,000. have made
it impossible for the city commission
ers to make the proposed civic i'm
provements and hold down the tax
levies.
AS a result all of the elaborate plans
of Commissioner Holman for parks, the
plans of Commissioner Tandy on
streets, and the ideas of Mayor Billard
on fire and police improvements, viii
have to be abandoned. These plans
would make it necessary to raise the
taxes Topeka city officials have hao
experiences with the taxpayers in rails
ing taxes and they dare not consider
the plan.
Next year will be year of economy
in Topeka city government with the
$40, 900 shortage staring them IN the
face and the commission laws Wnlcn
allow them to spend only the amount
thew have collected for taxes. the city
commissioners will do all in their pow
err to economic.
Cut Down Employees.
Already plans are being set for this
"cut" Some of the commissioners
have abandoned all hopes of adding TO
their department force and equipment.
A thorough study is being MADE OF the
| duties of all city employees and II 1t is
! possible to combine some of the work
cut out certain duties and snce the
| number of employees, 1t will De zone NJ
! once. 49,, e., +b;s
: There are many loop HOioS ia
"cannonade."
| Connn,issioncr Tandy is at the head OF
the street and engineering departments
| Here Is what he has to contribute -
| the good work: Cut down the nui .n,e.
| Of CITY inspectors. Mr.. Tandy beneVes
| that the city employs too many OF tnese
| men He says that with two or lnIet
good steady men provided with venlc'
/ les the work could be inspected III
more thorough manner anu eieie 49, ss,o-iS
| ..Tal1e the inspection of sidewalk an
having brick" said Mr.. Tandy. W.
bave a man ON the job all the time
and nav him $3.50 day. one maj
4 could. inspect the brick wnen II - w ~
loaded and condemn all bad ones. N
could come around gain when the mrs
| LAYER was finished-and the lnspectioi
| would be just as good.
| The wav it is now-the city employ
| from 10 to 18 inspectors paying tnsn
/ 60 "a q dov Here is an immense saVlnl
| through the mighty stroke OF one con'
| missioner.
TOO Many in Fire Service.
coro,uissioner Tandy has other IDEAS
at think the fire department has
surplus number OF men, CO ,omI
randy. 81 see no reason why we GU.
not c1,t down this list considerably.
rna1I fires-fires that can be eXtln
1,,iebad-We have too many men. "A
1srge fires all the departments IN IN
c@nntrv combined would fail to 90 any
, thing hut save surrounding pullolns'
then believe the ponce tne a9 forc ee
Co,nnissioner Holman has gwen
,,is norx r1ans Money will be Spet
70 keen them alive and that is al.
.I will do all in my power to me-
! the city out of this shortage. saau a -,
,.ond only the labor and the necessar
axnenditures to keep the parks IN goo
copdition. We will make no Improve
ments. .Io oor,noissior
ers have to tell In years gone tne GU
a council has collected money aneaa
eli times to pay their bills. Ihei
3 liver was a time when there was N
: a shortage in the general revenue iun
: No one expected anything else. It Wa
, always aI the custom to pass the snor
ages age s. along to the next council. But !,
Easing this bad package age TO ,r .ng ID Il
,sn., iaus the stone wall WAS reache
The The Commissioners don't have a rig
TO ,'e spend money they don't have. 80
/ When asked why he wouid not co
al Ter re .ntreaties OF his Ir,enes
] run for mayor, ]. w. T. Hughes 80
"The first year of the commissi'
form, of government tn the comm
sioners will be - II. fo
Truly, Mayor Billiard and a,; nls 20
staunch supporting eo4 Mnir,aa,, .
the ''goats."