Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-22
Mayor Cray then delivered his IN
angural address which follows:
The Mayors Address.

Gentlemen of the City Council:
The recommendation which viii be
made in regard to the conduct of mu-
nicipal aairs the ensuing year Will
concern chiefly those departments
which require the largest OUTLAWS in
funds and supervision. and in which
is conferred the interest of the City
Council. and the public at large. There
are some departments which vary but
slightly, from year to year, in the
amount needed for their support, and
which, it might be said, are fixed in
their demands and in their results.
our financial standing in respect to
the amount of bonded indebtedness
and sinking fund does not der from
last year as shown by reference to the
printed reports.
An inspectiOn of the reports OF the
dierent departments for the past year
reveals the fact that number have
overdrawn the amounts appropriated
for their disposal. The amount in eX-
cess of the appropriation is S4,414.lt'
due to a great extent to the demands
upon the Highway Department ana
the rebuilding of the Aims House
property destroyed by fire last spring,
1t will not be necessary to 60 into
detail. but it is evident that higher
rate of taxation will be required to
liquidate the overdrafts of last year
and to meet the appropriation OF the
year ensuing. which the council VIII
be called upon to approve The tax rate
has been kept almost uniformly at 20
mills until last year and the previous
governments deserve much credit for
careful management at this rate but
it seems clear that the present low
rate cannot be made to serve the
needs of the community. With the
demands for higher wages and more
expensive material, more lights, better
sidewalks. improvements on the high
WAYS. and modern equipment in the
schools and other departments, it is
clearly imperative that the tax rate
be increased. There has been stea-
DIV increase of the State and County
taxes during the last four or five years
and there is Il probability of still fur
Their increase in the future. The State
and Country tax Of 1904 was $l3.43S.69
and the tax Of 1909 $1I,3SS.SS. which
will also he the same for the present
year. an increase of nearly $i,000.Oo.
The increase in the State and Coun-
ty taxes together with the yearly al
lowance for the sinking fund. amounts
to about $1,000. or nearly two mills
upon the average valuation.
The bonds falling due this year to
1.-THE amount of S., 900 will be taken care
OF by the sinking fund already accunl-
ulated. so there will be no need of any
other provision on this score.
The policy of carrying along tenn
porarv loans TO he converted later in
to bonds should not receive consider
alton. The sinking fund. as recorded
in my address of last year, will pro-
vide for the bonded debt before many
years and believe that all current eN-
penses should be taken care of as fast
as incurred. With an increase in the
tax rate / believe that some improve
mefits could be made and paid for
when completed. The unusual eXpen-
ses of the past year in some depart
ments are not likely to pc duplicated
this season. Il 7s4 a1ht W
During the past year the plank side
walks in many places were found to be