Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1911-09-28
OF INTEREST TO
THE TAX PAYERS
ANNUAL CITY APPROPRIATION 0RDlN.
ANCE AND TAX LEVY PUBLISHED
IN This WEEKS issue

The annual city appropriation
ordinance and tax levy published
in this issue will be of interest to
every resident of the city. 1t
should be carefully looked over by
all tax payers. The appropriation
ordinance is fully itimized so that
one can readily see for exactly
what purposes the 1912 taxes are
levied. Either because they have
not given the matter much thought
or because they are misinformed,
most owners of CITY property feel
that when they pay $40 or 500
taxes, it all goes to the city and
that the city authorities are alone
responsible for the tax being high
or low. As a matter of fact the
tax is not only for covering the
expense Of city government but
for the county and state as we'll.
OF the 1912 levy for Williston,
$4,000 is necessary to pay fixed
charges, $10,260 being required
for actual charges of the various
city departments and $9,265 for
interest and sinking fund or out
standing Indebtedness. The Libr-
ary Board requested a levy of
$1,000 for the purpose of conduct
ing and equiping the James Memo
rial Library. The excellent patron
age accorded that growing institu-
ton during the past year fully
warrants this expenditure and will
meet the approval of the entire
city. >r
The $500 levied for street work
will not accomplish a great deal
but Street Commissioner English
will undoubtedly make a good
showing with it. -,
The 800 levy for the fire de-
partment is for the purpose of
purchasing the new equipment re-
quired by the General Inspection
Company before the lower insur-
ance rating would be granted to
the city. The expenditure of
81, 800 for additional fire fighting
apparatus will, according to the
statement of the Fire Insurance
Co., mean a saving of several
thousand dollars each year to the
property owners in fire insurance
premiums. It will also give
greater feeling of protection to
every one in the city and will be
appreciated by the members of the
fire department, especially during
the state convention next year
$4,921 was the actual charge last
year against the city for furnish
ing power for the thirtv-three arc
lights, light in the various city
offices, water for sprinkling streets
fighting fires and other similar
purposes. The same amount is
levied this year.
The $4,000 levied for street
crossings will not build all of the
crossings needed and for which
petitions have been or will be filed
but it will be used in putting in
those most needed. That portion
of the city east of Main street is
now we'll supplied with north and
south crossings and has a liberal
supply of east and west crossings.
The expenditure of $3.50 for the
city scale and of 5000 for a city
safe meets with general approval.
The report of the expert account
ants who went over the city records
last spring strongly urged the
necessity of q proper safe and the
recent purchase of one follows the
recommendation.
The total net appropriation for
1912 exceeds that of 1911. The
difference is somewhat Offset by
the additional property valuation
this year of about 500, 900. In
setting the appropriations the city
dads have cut off a good many
things they would like to secure
for the city and in keeping them
down they have taken into con-
sideration the general financial
It is a good idea, how
ever, for every tax payer to know
just what his tax money is needed
for and where it goes