The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-07-09
TO LEVY TAX SOON
Excise Will BE on SSO,245,S51
in Entire County.
Increase Totals Six Million
More Than Last Year.
BONDED DEBT is LESS.
City Now Obligated in Sum ol
100000.
Topeka Pays Equivalent of Prin-
cipal Every % Years.

| city commissioners, the board of edu-
| cation and the county commissioners,
| beside all the lesser boards of town
| ships and district schools in Shawnee
county. must tackle the vexatious
problem of making up the annual tax
levy on the property which this year
makes up the aggregate of $50, ,245,s51
in the entire county.
| This total is an increase of $685.
4S1 more than the figures of a year
ago so that, should the tax levy of last
year be continued without alteration
for the coming year, larger amount
than before will be Forthcoming to be
distributed among the state, county,
| city, township and school treasures.
1t is the ambition of every one con-
cerned to see the rate of taxation re-
| duced, as it makes good campaign
ammunition ann and pleases the taxpayers.
But at many points along the line
more money will be needed so that the
levying boards can not hope to escape
| the historic conflict between depart
their own anxieties for creditable
record as slashers of taxation sched-
ules.
City's Demands Grow.
There is not a glittering prospect
of any material reduction in the tax
levy IN the city OF 1Opekd, dICnOugn,
as City Commissioner Roy Bone
pointed out this morning, none of the
estimates have been made UP and it is
impossible to forecast what the city's
/ levy will be. But Topeka's running
expenses grow with her population and
with the undeniabie "cost of living"
increase which has necessitated a
general advance of salaries in police,
fire and the other departments.
The increase is about 1000 a month
more than it cost two years ago to
run the city government. Already the
city faces deficit in the general reve-
nue. fund from which salaries must be
paid and there are yet several months
to elapse before more money will be
Forthcoming from the county treasurer.
Whittle the Bonded Debt.
That the city is morally obligated
to keep up payments upon its general
bonded Indebtedness, which on July 15
will be approximately $1,22O,6 600, is an
| opinion in which the city commission
ers concur. although there is no rad
ical disposition to do much more than
keep the principal where it is now,
save in the case of the waterworkS
debt. The water plant of the city is
expected to pay for itself in time and
it's cost alone constitutes $62O,0OO, or
a little more than one-half of the en-
tire Indebtedness.
The city row is paying bond inter-
est to the amount of $1.042.s2 per
week Next year this sum will be re-
duced q tri1e. for while the total of
J bonded debt has grown somewhat,
$4,000 belonging to the WaterwOrks
sinking fund has been invested in
other city securities. so that one fund
: pays interest into another, giving the
taxpayers that much direct relief. In
addition to this Commissioner Bone is
: planning a refunding issue by which
! certain 5 per cent bonds may be taken
up with new securities paying a.
At the present rate of expenditure
for interest, which may be said to
, average about u per cent year on
ali of the million dollar bonded debt
) Topeka is paying out an equivalent OF
! the principal once every 22 years in
/ interest alone, and will so long as the
. old system of refunding the debt is
! continued It resolves itself into a
question of how much Topeka of 1910
owes to Topeka of 1880. Topeka OF
today is getting the benefit of most
of the things which Topeka of the next
generation will have to pay for, else
pass onward to its heirs
Condition of Sinking Funds.
Last year a small levy. .56 of a mill
on the dollar of city property. raised
something like $4,000 for the general
), sinking fund. This amount is includ-
r ed in the $4,000 which will be ap-
S piled this year onN the $4,000 of 1896
issue refunding bonds. which fall due
t July Is. New bonds will refund the
: remaining $4,000 of this debt.
t There is no limit upon the amount
Ell of tax which the city may levy for the
: purpose of paying off such debts, anc
1 Commissioner H. P. Miller is disposed
: / to favor making a reasonable increase
p | in this particular department of the
e levy. The next bonds to fall due ar'
r those of the 1892 refunding issue
: bearing 5 per cent interest, which, tt
:. the amount OF S1OO,U0O, mature OF
e Aug. IL, 1912
4 Although the water department o
:. the city has been expending consid
: erable sums for the Improvement o
t the property and the service it ha
e been able to set aside $4,000 in th'
: last year to apply upon its bonde'
O debt This money and future reser
e vations. which are to be made annu
: ally, will be invested in bonds of tn
city of Topeka and the principal, will
: the accrued interest will be availabl
a to apply upon the waterworks issue
the first part of which falls due il
O 1924.
= The Coming Levy.
+ Last year the levy for the genera
Is revenue and the general improvement
n fund was 1t mills on the dollar. B
: act of legislature the taxing power o
: the city is restricted to mill lev
It for either of these funds which ar
II rangment permits slight increase 70
# next year if necessary, as promises t
be the case of the general revenu
o fund, which is running short Their
S is a prospective surplus in the genera
20 improvement fund and a smaller lev
probably will suffice next year.
1t is probable that slight reduction
will be made in the general improve
J. ment fund levy while the general reve
l. nue. fund levy will be raised CORE
: spondingIy, leaving this balance tn
sr same. Some slight reductions may b
lie available in the levy made for bond in
y terest or other funds as the large
4 for, In, he ri ma