The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-18
Firemen Salary Ordinance Re-
ceiVes Final Approval.
Has Been Troublesome Question
Many Months.
REVISION OF WAGES.
Mayor Green's Action Will Af-
feet All Departments.
Fourteen Per Cent Raise May
Be Decided Upon Tonight.

There is joy among the many fire
men in the six different fire stations in
Topeka today-Mayor Green signed
the salary ordinance giving them a IA
per cent raise this afternoon.
This salary ordinance has been a
bone of contention in the CITY coun-
Gil for months and has caused more
exciting council meetings than any
other proposition in the history of the
city administration. Finally, it was
passed by hair breadth vote and re-
ferred to the mayor
Mayor Green held up the ordinance
for a few days and there was much
anxiety for the firemen. 1t was feared
that he would veto the ordinance be-
cause of his arguments all the way
through the fight. in which he stated
that he was against the raise. think
ing that the city could not afford the
additional expense. In fact, the mayor
threatened to veto unless he found
that the coming commissioners under
the commission form of government
could stand the cost.
For the last few days Mayor Green
has had his desk piled high with facts
and figures. He has gone through all
of the expenses of the city during the
last year and has made estimates for
the year to come. This afternoon he
had made a complete table of the ex-
penSes already made for the coming
commissioners and found that on ac-
count of the surplus of the previous
years of his administration and the
fact that the commissioners would
have years taxes to spend n nine
months, there would be enough money
in the treasury to allow a IA per cent
raise in all the departments under the
city administration.
II still believe that this matter
should have been checked up to the
commissioners, said the mayor this
afternoon. But 1 have refrained from
using my personal opinion above that
told by facts and figures. 1 have salts
fled myself that the commissioners can
afford to make a general raise in all of
the departments in the city, and I
have signed the ordinance, fully ex-
pecting the other raises to be made.
I have wanted the firemen to have
their raise, but have also wanted the
commissioners to come in free from
any of our burdens. I believe that a
mayor of city should be a sort of a
watchdog of the treasury and this is
why considered the ordinance before
I signed it,
Revision of All Salaries.
1t is thought at the city hall that
this action of the mayor means a gen
eral revision of all the salaries in the
city departments. When he figured out
the raise of the firemen he included a
IA per cent raise all over the city and
this policy will undoubtedly be follow
ed out.
The ways and means committee of
the council meets at the city hall to-
night at which time a resolution intro
Guced by Councilman Howard asks for
raise in the police and street de-
partments. The ways and means com
mittee will undoubtedly consider q
raise in every department and make
preliminary arrangements for IA per
cent increase in the wages and salaries
of every man working for the city
with the exception of the heads of the
departments.
Mayor Green figured that the nine
months of the first term of the COM
missioners would cause an expenditure
of $28,575 authorized expenses including
the salary raise. The salary raise it
self (of all departments) will amount
TO $12.5c0. Adding to this the extraor-
binary expenses of last year as an es-
Innate for this year of S15500 makes a
total Of $4,000. This is the total ex-
traordinary expense for the coming
nine months of commission govern
ment.
Then it is estimated that the taxes
will amount to about $152, O0O The re-
oeipts were estimated by the mayor at
$4,000. Added it makes $212. 900 total
receipts to spend. Subtract the $1S0,00C
of estimated total expense to maintain
the city under first commission term
and we have balance of $4,000. Sub