The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-12-09
Commission PAYS IN
KANSAS CITY, KAN.
New Year Will Find the Com
munity Entirely Out Of Debt
and PrOSpering.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, November
ss.-"when we begin the new year
Kansas City, Kansas, will have all its
debts paid, except those in the light
fund, and will be $1,000 ahead.
That is the promise of Charles w.
Green, commissioner of finance in Kan.
sas City, Kansas. He has figured where
every cent is to come from and where
every cent is to be expended. 10 fulfil
his promise he must collect $4,000 before
the first of the year, but Mr.. Green
says that he will collect that from the
police court and licenses.
Mr.. Green's PROMISE means that nine
months of commission rule will put the
city out of debt in all except the light
fund. That fund could not be changed
or increased after the levy was made.
When Mr.. Green took charge of the
finances of the city in April he found
that at the rate money was coming and
going the city would have deficit of
about 100000 by the first of the year.
The fund from which the fire depart
ment is paid was running behind, so
was the general fund from which most
of the running expenses of the city are
paid. By paying $4,000 of the expense
of operating the fire department out
of the general fund that department
was kept in good, condition,
The city expenses were reduced by
dispensing with all employees who could
be spared. The fire fund had no income,
hence the general fund was used to help
that fund. The general fund had no
income from licenses and other money
that comes into the treasury,
The commissioners collected all posi-.
Bile money from the corporations. The
Metropolitan and Kansas City Western
electric lines We're asked to pay a IL
cense tax ON ears, and in that way
$3.50 was apaidsinto the general fund.
The telephone. companies were asked to
pay a license tax on poles and wires,
where hitherto they had not paid a
per cent Of their earnings to thetcity,
.ahd $1,000 more was, obtained; Mer..
chants who conducted more than, one
business, such as real estate and insur.
ance, were required to pay licenses on
both, and all dog taxes were collected
7aIf one visit did not get the License
tax the collector went again and again
FrOm,the occupation tax up to last night
$50,T0O had been obtained and $4,000
from dog licenses. In these two de.
,partments the collections exceed those
of last year by $4,000. e.,. ,..s+
saThus the city has been kept within
its. income and met its expenses. Be.
fore an expense was contracted by any
other commissioners the commissioner
of finance was consulted. BY working
together the city, Mr.. Green promises,
will be in position net year to go ahead
and make many Improvements which it
cohldj not make last year. ssy ,...
Tine condition of the finances at the
time the commissioners took charge
was not due to waste of the previous
administration but was brought about
by the old ,eity having to bear all, the
EXPENSES incurred by the extension Of
the city limits. That would have hap
pened at any time the limits were ex.
tended. The levies in the districts an.
nexOd had been made. and they de
manded the benefits of the city, but
could not pay the expenses incurred.
The levy made this year includes those
parts OF the city. and once past Jan
uary 1ywithout debt the. financial man
agement of the city will be an, easier
problem. Mr.. Green believes