The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-01
Deciding on What Appropcia-
tions They Will Ask Of
Council for Operations
During Year 1912.
INCREASE IN TAXES
IS NOT ENCOURAGED
Largest Appropriation for
Next Year Will Be for
Street Department-What
the Fire Chief Asks.

City officials are turning their a,ten-
ton to appropriations which they will
ask to conduct their respective offices
and departments for the coming fiscal
made during September, or as soon
as County Auditor Coe makes his re.
turns OF taxes collected
1t is believed that the total appro-
priations will not exceed that Of this
year. This years total appropriation
was s234,777.20 of which amount $780,
1920 was appropriated for the mu.
nicipal light plant. The appropriation
for the light plant is being paid out of
the earnings of the plant and the re-
mainder, $174,7s5 was raised by taxa
ton and license fees.
Whether the budget will be made UP
before some decision is reached in the
water works question is in doubt
Some councilmen believe that the wa.
ter works question should be settled
first while others believe that the bud.
get should be completed as soon as
the county auditor makes his returns.
Oppose Tax Increase
The opinion that the taxes should
not be increased is prevalent among
the city officials. They say that the
present tax rate, $1.10 is high enough.
Last year Mayor Zimmerman favored
increasing the tax rate to $1.25. but
the city fathers would not follow the
executives dictation. I-a
The largest appropriation will ba for
the street department. For this year
$4,000 was appropriated for the con.
struction and Improvement Of the sew.
ers, streets and alleys. Street COM
missioner Gem will ask a larger ap-
preparation as he is desirous OF max
ing more Improvements in 1912 than
this year
Fire Chief Miller will ask for ar ap-
preparation for a motor fire tuck
which he prccoses placing at Com
pany No. 2 at the city building. The
truck will cost between 5000 and
$1,000. In case this is granted Chief
Miller will place the chemical wagon
No. at the No. hose house. A new
wagon is needed at the latter hose
house
Aside from this no other depart
ments will ask tor larger appgopri&
tions, as far as is known.
A Salary increase.
Councilman Engelbert will again ~
quest an appropriation for an increase
in the salaries of the firemen. He
broached this subject last year but his
efforts in behalf of the firemrn were
without avail. He asserts that the fire
men should be paid the same scale OF
wages as the patrolmen. Tie men,
bers of the police force are paid so
a month while the Rremen are paid
$50 and ss5 a month.
AS chairman of the finance commit
tee, Mr.. Engelbert believes that the
money collected from vehicle tax
should not be placed in tn. general
fund from which the budget viii be
made. but should be placed in sepa-
rate fund and used expressly on the
upkeep and maintenance of the
streets. He says in this way the vehi-
Gle tax payers may see just where this
money is spent.
Like the 1911 Budget.
This years budget will b., taken az
a schedule for that of next year The
amounts appropriated for the various
departments of the city IL the 1911
budget were as follows: Department
of finance, s1O.395. including the saIa-
ries of the mayor, counciinen, clerk.
controller, auditor, sinking fund CON-
missioner, treasurer and general Of
fce expenses; law department, includ-
ing the city attorneys salary and ex-
penses; department of tire board Of
public works, $4,000, inc1ue ing the sal
AIRY of the present president, expen-
ses and city advertising: public build
ings, 1890; public parks, $3.50, in
Guiding the salary of the superintend-
ent and expenses and maintenance OF
the park; street departm ent, $64. 900:
engineering department, &4.4o0; mar
kets, 1910; fire department, s41.470.
out of which $4,000 is pal to the wa
ter works company for Iydrant rent
ais; crematory. s14.770; health and
charities, s7,0o5; police department,
s17,s25: city court, 1910; and light
plant, $50. .ss2 90. ,
With seven months past, there is
now ss7.7o5.21 appropriated which has
not been expended. This is trifie
less than one-haIf of ths total appor-
priation.