The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-26
Eureka Is Wondering About
Commission Plan.
Last Years Budget Increased
75 Per Cent.
OFFICIALS ARE PAID
Former City Officers Served City
Free Of Charge.
Suit Is Filed to Cut Down Per-
sOnal Property Valuation.

Eureka, Kan, Aug. 26.-After trying
it six months, Eureka is now sOlemnly
scratching its head in an effort to find
! the virtues Of Its new form Of city
government The season of unrest
increased 20 per cent to meet the ex-
penses OF the new city administration.
Last spring Eureka voted to try the
New Plan The step was taken fol-
lowing a campaign of education in To-
cal newspapers. One Of the first official
acts of the new city administration
was to prepare a levy for the 1911
taxes. When the budget was compile
ted it was found that Eureka will
need $2S, ,734.19 to pay the bills Of a
town that last year required but $16,-
2S4-34 to maintain its institutions. To
raise this money the commissioners
made a levy of 87a mills as against a
levy of just five mills by the city coun-
To meet this expense, taxes in Eur
eka this fall will in all probability be
higher than those OF any other city in
the state. Added to the city levy is
one of 67a mills for school purposes,
IA mills for county general IS hun
! dredths for county bonds and 1 and
two tenths for state support. This
brings Eureka's taxes to $3.50 on each
81 900 valuation. But trouble does not
stop here. In the last year the sewer
district was extended and over this
territory there is a special levy that
gives the taxpayers a dull, thrObbing
headache. Mixed with these brands of
grief is the realization that Eureka is
party to an injunction proceeding that
threatens to cut $S1,O0O in personal pro-
perty from the tax rolls.
Eureka Had Her Troubles.
For years Eureka has had the Gus
tOmary troubles with her municipal
affairs. Sometimes the official acts of
Ill IL v-0f
please the citizens at larg, and they
promptly promoted such officials to
obscurity at the following election. On
the heels Of a season Of unrest came
notices of the workings Of new city
government that reduced taxes and IN
1ected harmony in the breasts OF a ram
pant constituency.
When after a month of education
the town was given an opportunity to
sign petitions for a special election,
these documents were filed in the first
roundup of the voters. Mayor High
bargin called an election to vote on the
new plan. That election was the great
est victory for true reform that the
town ever registered. By a lopsided
score Eureka adopted the commission
form and that night the town slept
soundly, believing that millennium was
at hand.
her commissioners $500 a year, when the
same men had been anxious to serve
for 81 a month in the oiden Gays, was
a matter of small concern. That the
decessors received a check for almost
nothing at all. was considered valu-
able exchange in view Of a promised
moral and financial upl1ft.
Dream Turns to Nightmare.
Perhaps the new officials were zeal
Gus for the towns advancement, per-
haps they believed the few dollars IN
taxes would return a thousand fold to
paw tribute to their labors in the vine
ward In Eureka that is a matter OF
coniecture. All the general public
knows is that its dreams suddenly be-
gan to slip and slide. The ambitions
and hopes Of yesterday faded away
The dawn Of new day saw the com
rnissioners industriously preparing a
tax levy that shall paralyze the pocket
books of a thrifty community.
On the street corners and in the
stores and banks men gather today IN
little groups and discuss their new
government and estimate their taxes
when the fall harvest is made Calaml-
tv seems to have hit the community IN
an unguarded moment At present tnat
branch Of the citiZenry that pays the
operating expenses, is too shocked to
express opinions as to what may nap
pen in the future
While several hundred citizens are
busily figuring their taxes on the back
Of an envelope, the town thinks II sees
are any number of perfectly fair mind
ed people who are sure the commits
sion form of city government Is not
an economical institution.
Then Comes Tax Suit.
Then there is that lawsuit that grieves
the town a bit. Some months ago. II.
J. Hodgson, city attorney, actlng as
private counsel for George Birkett'
wealthy stockman and farmer, fled m
junction proceedings against A. l.. "a
Bile, as county treasurer. to prevent the
collection of taxes on $4,000 in y Perso1al TyoG
son as nrivate counsel wins the suit,
his EFFORT will cost the city about 81 ;OOO
in. taxes and while he is prosecuting
the case he is on the towns payroll
as legal guardian Of the city's inter
ests.
This year the Birkett property Is not
on the taxroIls-thanks to g restrain
ing order-and the remainder OF the
taxpayers must meet levy that IS
perhaps higher than that OF any other
town in the entire state.
NAME