The Detroit times., 1911-03-07


a considerable period This has been
relieved the annual budget OF con-
Siderable burden and kept the tax rate
city viii Be nS able p inersass ,ts bond
limit The matter Is up 10 the legis-
latur~. IL the Legislature refuses per-
mission. we are faced with a great
sewers. especially two big trunk sew
ers on the east and west sides III the
people had voted for an increase In the
bond limit last year. the problem would
have been solved. but they did not, and
the matter Is still before US.
Internationally we need these sew
so SSt 20 WE need sas% os ear enrrsnt
revenue? In my opinion this would
be an unwise course. But even N the
Legislature does not allow us to In
resources. / refer TO the increase In
the property valuation OF the city
which the board OF assessors Will re-
port, and which Will enable US to issue
bonds to the extent OF 100000 or
more: and l refer also TO the bonds
which the city has authorized, but has
chine bonds and the 100000 of gar
bage plant bonds.
IL Is evident that we need sewers
just now more than we need voting
need schools. We must fnd money to
take care OF these things. Even IL the
legislature grants the proposed In
need OF these bond issues. I, there
fore. recommend that they be can
celled, and that the city avail itself
of the s225,ooo. OF bonds for either
ID. r. w. budget Too High.
An extraordinarily large amount OF
money has been asked for this year
for new pavements and for repaving.
This Is matter In which the board or
for the purpose can use wise discre-
ton. There Is unquestionably need
or new pavements. but II Ii also fact
that the department OF public works
cannot possibly do all the work which
the budget seems TO demand. The COM
wittee should. therefore. select the
streets to be improved with the great
Detroits parks have always been
very important to Its people. who make
use OF them TO an unusual extent. Belle
Isle has made Detroit regarded one OF
the show places OF the country, and
thousands OF visitors come every sum
mer TO admire IL and TO envy the city
which has such place OF recreation.
But | do not think that, Belle Isle has
been as well kept up as II might be
with the money appropriated for that
purpose. While the amount OF money
spent on IT has been constantly in
creasing, so that the maintenance
charge is now several thousand dol
lars more than II was eight or ten
years ago. It's appearance cannot be
said to have been improved.
/ believe that the board OF estimates
should make careful study OF De-
troit's park expenditures. with an idea
The salary question Is still with us,
In spite of all attempts TO settle It.
Increases are being asked this year
for firemen and policemen and for pub
fire departments OF the city OF Detroit
are among the best In the United
States. Their efficiency have been
demonstrated times without number.
Yet the men in these departments. as
rule, are paid less than those In other
cities OF Detroit's population and finan-
In cities of much smaller population.
would recommend that the board of
estimates find IL advisable to grant the
policemen and firemen an Increase In
salary. II II Is found that the entire
increases asked for cannot be granted
because of the heavy budget this year.
l would suggest that smaller In
crease be granted this year, leaving IL
for future boards to give these SER
wants OF the city the rest OF the re-
ward to which they are entitled.
Favors Increases for Some Teachers.
believe also that the school teach
ers OF Detroit, In many cases, are not
getting the salaries to which they are
OF granting the scale which has been
proposed, for | do not believe that this
scale Is fair to all concerned. When
the board OF education shall I'm its
wisdom, designate those teachers en-
titled to better pay, and shall elimin-
ate those who are already getting as
much as they should be paid. l shall
be in favor OF granting the demand.
In conclusion, desire to state tina
i believe all committee meeting
should be open 70 the press, SO that a VI
a. IT. - Oh. ar1 I.a Irar4
at all times before the people o
Detroit.
President Barnett named his com,
mittees as >follows:
General fund~and recorders court
fund-Long. Davis. Gordon, Storm,
Craig, Patterson and Porter
Public lighting fund. interest fun,
Detroit city sinking fund and sinking
fund annexed district-Phister. Back
us, Gambler. MacQueen. Robinson.
General road fund and grade sepa-
ration fund-Strong. Kramer, Wo-
brock, Theel, Phister, Behlow, Wilson.
Street opening fund, water commits
sion fund and garbage fund-Brow.
Robinson. Reid, Kulwicki and Baum
garth.
Repaving fund-Cranshaw Bress-
man, Michalak, Wardell, Klebba, Ank-
linn and McGraw.
Fire commission fund and fire de-
partment and pension fund-Rohns,
Delor, Patterson. Kramer, Wenzel,
Behlow, Flach.
Board of education fund and library
fund-Wardell. Dingman, McGraw,
Clark, Backus, Long. Andrus.
Police fund, police pension fund and
superannuated police fund-Wobrock
MacQueen, Davis, Chandler, Clark,
Klebba, Andrus.
Public health fund and poor COM
mission fund-Dingman, Strong, An.
glim. irish and Carpenter.
Parks and boulevards funds and