The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-08-10
Lack of Improvements This
Year Means More Work in
1911, which Means More
Revenue Imperative.
TAX RATE NOW MUCH
TOO SMALL FOR CITY
Growth of the City Has Added
to Its Expenses but Its Rev.
enue Has Not Proportion
ateIy Raised.

the city officials that the tax rate Tor
1911 will be increased but just how
much it is rather difficult to deter.
mine. BY the Democratic administra-
ton it was increased from $1.04 to
81. 10, and then decreased to $1.O5. dur
ing which year the Republicans claim
the Democrats almost bankrupted the
city. The tax rate now stands at $1.05.
The $1.O5 per hundred tax rate has
not been able to produce enough mon
ey for the city's use, according to the
controller, although the utmost econ
omy in city affairs is being exercised
by the present administration. Next
years expenses will undoubtedly be
greater than those of 1910, on account
of the condition of streets, principally.
North D street from Ft. Wayne ave-
nue. to the Doran bridge and North e
street, east from North Tenth several
blocks east will have to be remade and
probably paved. This will be an ex.
pensive job. ..-...
Must Widen Streets.
In addition to these large improve
ments there are numerous minor ones.
There Is q little talk of making West
Fifth street next year. although this
lis improbable. That improvement
would cost many thousand dollars. as
the street must be widened. 1t has
already been plated. West Sixth,
Seventh and Eighth streets are to be
re-made in a few years.
The failure of natural gas will ma
terially increase the expenses Of the
street department because there will
be so many more ashes to be carried
from the alleys during the winter.
Garbage has been increasing this sum-
mer at a very marked degree and the
increase seems permanent. Hauling
garbage is expensive, according to the
street commissioner.
AS the present crematory is unable
to consume the garbage of the city, al
addition will be necessary. 1t would
cost over q thousand dollars, at
|
Controller E. G. McMahan will not
affect the 1911 tax budget to any de-
gree. 1T will about pay for what
has not been done this year." he said.
Increase in Expenses.
In the street departments report
of the last few years is shown a steady
increase in the expenses. In 1907 the
total expenditures were $32,9O1.93; in
1908, $33.571.84: in 1909, $42,299. So.
The expenditures will drop below nor
NAL this year but next year will un.
doubtedly 60 beyond the 1909 expen.
ditures.
Along with the Increased cost OF
living" for Richmond comes no pro.
portionate increase in the amount OF
taxable property turned in. In 1907
the total assessed valuation for the
ped to $14.1S5.S95 and in 1909 again
increased to $14,634,255. Mortgage ex.
emptions are taken from the assessed
valuation and Of course many OF the
taxes go delinquent
In other city departments there has
been little increase during the last
few years, with the exception Of the
fire department, which has added q
new hose house and a number Of new
men. OF course this will be included
In the tax rate for 1911. 1t is not ex.
actly known this early in the year
what improvements and additions to
the city's different departments are
contemplated in 1911. Mayor Zira.
norman has been continually promis
ing street improvements II the con.
dition Of the treasury warrants 1t.