The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-07-29
PER CAPITA COST OF
OPERATING THE CITIES
MILLIONS SPENT IN MAINTAIN
ING GOVERNMENTS.
The Expense Is on the Increase; In
One Hundred and Fifty-Eight
Municipalities More. Than Four
Hundred Millions of Dollars Were
Devoted to the Cost of Their
Maintenance.

| Washington, ID. c., July 27.-About
! S403.0OOOOO were spent in 1908 in
maintaining and operating the city de-
partments of the 1913 largest cities in
| the United States having an estimated
| population of 10000 or more in 1908,
whose financial statistics for that year
have been collected by the census but
reau and are analytieally presented
in its annual report on the statistics
of cities for the year 1908.
The maintenance OF schools repre-
sents metyfive per cent of the total
expenses of cities for education" and
cost more than any other municipal
function, while the protection of life
and property by the police, fire, and
associated departments was second in
cost
Education and Protection.
These two functions of education
and protection of life and property
sents ninety-five per cent of the total
! 100000, which was the total expense
! of maintaining and operating city &C.
partments. For the whole group of
cities the average per capita expense
for schools was $40; for police de-
partments, 1925; and for fire depart
ments, $l.72. These per capita aver
ages vary greatly among the several
cities. Salt Lake City expended $S.lS
per capita Tor schools; Newton, Mass,
So; and New York, Boston, Washing
ton, Newark, Denver, Springfield, Mass,
and Sacramento each expended over
six dollars for the same purpose, while
Montgomery expended only $l.63; Char
lesion, $l.Sl; Norfolk, $2.l5; st. Joseph
$2.l7; Memphis, 1919; Knoxville, S2.2s;
and Manchester and Galveston, each
1924.
Per Capita Cost Increases.
The increased costs of maintaining
the government departments of cities
in recent years is illustrated by the
fact that i'm l47 cities of over 10000
population in 1902 it was $l3.36 per
capita, while for the same cities in 1908
it was Sl6.Sl.
The costs of maintaining the police
department during the same interval
for the same cities nave risen steadily
from $3.50 to 1926 per capita; the fire
department, from $l.33 to SLIP; health
conservation. from 1922 to 5000; san
itatiOn. from 1901 $l.3S; highways,
from $l.72 TO $l.S3; and schools, from
$3.50 to $40.
The financial transactions OF these
l5S largest cities involved the re-
ceipt and expenditure of more than one
and 4 quarter billion of dollars, the
payments amounting to $l,2S4 10000
| and the receipts to Sl,336, 100000.
The excess of the receipts over the pay
ments was due to large loans by the
cities during the year and is reflected
in cash on hand at the close af the
year, $l9S000000, as compared with
$l45 100000 on hand at the beginning
of the eyar.
Gross payments and receipts are d.
vided into municipal payments and
receipts and agency" payments and
receipts, the latter forming only 81 per
cent of the payments and SO per cent
of the receipts, and consisting OF
transactions in which the city as fiscal
agent in collecting revenue for the
state or county or as trustee for pri-
vate parties.
OF Sl.236, 1924, which was the to-
tai of the municipal payments, 1927
per cent was for the expenses of
maintaining and operating the ordinary
municipal departments and offices; 2.5
per cent was paid for the expenses
of the maintenance and operation of
self-supporting public service enter
prises, such as water supply systems,
lighting systems, etc.; 81 per cent
was paid in interest on city debt;
22.2 per cent was paid for OUTLAWS
for new buildings, equipment, and pub
lie improvements; 1913 per cent rep
resents payments in liquidation of
debt; and l2.5 per cent represents
payments OF refunds, purchases of
investments by city funds, and general
transfers.
Ing cAptuScS VI maintaining anu
operating the ordinary municipal de-
partments and offices for the entire
l58 cities amounted to $404.997 1872,
more than one fourth of which was
paid by New York city. The expenses
of the government of Philadelphia were
| less than one-fourth of those of New
York city.
The city of over 100000 population
with the smallest running expenses
was New Orleans, with Milwaukee a
close second.
Expressed in per capita averages,
the cities of over 100000 population
with the highest expenses were: Bos-
ton, $27.5S; New York, $24.7l; and
Washington, $24.63; and those with
the lowest were New Orleans, $l276,
and Baltimore, $l3.34. The cities of
from 100000 to 100000 population
with the highest and lowest per capita
payments for expenses, were Denver,
$24.44, and st. Joseph, $5.65. OF the
cities having from $4,000 to 100000
inhabitants, the highest was Yonkers,
$l9.35, and the lowest, Savannah, 1920
OF those having from 10000 to $4,000
population, the highest was Sacrament
to, S2034, and the lowest, Joplin, 1888