The Detroit times., 1911-04-25
$40 TAX RATE IF
NECESSARY, SAYS
C0MMERCEB0
Committee Takes Stand For Ample
Budget After Discussion of Funds
Liberal Treatment of Police
Estimates Urged.
Barnett Favors Increases For Teach
ers II Assured Boost Will Go To
Those Most Deserving.

ITS not fair to assume that the
school board will do anything" said
Estimator Eddie" Barnett In the
meeting OF the taxation committee or
the Board OF Commerce. Monday
noon, In answer to the statement by
George w. Bates that the school
board could be trusted TO make an
equitable distribution of the sum that
might be allowed for salary in
creases.
There Is nothing TO prevent them
from giving 5000 increase TO W.
900 principal and leaving the lower
grade teachers, who need u the most,
out OF IL altogether" continued Bar
nett. IL would be in favor OF grant
ing an increase In salaries III the
board of estimates could regulate the
way in which II should be distributed.
but | do not believe the plan OF dis
tribution according TO the schedule ls
fair.
'"The school board never had a
better friend than |. A few years ago
went on the floor and put back
100000 on the roll that had been I'M
fairly chopped OF by the committee
of which Tom Craig was chairman.
| think that the board should be more
than liberal with the common schools
in the poorer districts. where the
children are getting only half days
schooling, and we can better AFFORD
TO cut out the new high school than
to leave them without room. We
have done all that the city can af-
ford in allowing money for a site
this year"
r. NJ. Grindley. reporting to the
committee on the budget OF the po.
lice department. recommended that
the commissioner be allowed lF0 men
and that as many OF the increases In
salary as possible should be granted.
President Barnett said that ne was
in favor Of allowing an increase OF
100 men to the police department and
an increase Of 500 year IN the sal
aries OF the men on the beat.
II think" said Barnett, that the
Office members of the force. with one
or two exceptions, are getting al that
they can expect. am In favor or
increasing the salary OF the steno-
grapher and the license clerk. and
few others. and. perhaps, we can in
crease the sergeants and lieutenants,
but the patrolmen will get first con.
sideration.'
President McRae urged that the
estimators should be liberal with the
police department.
I'VE are in bad shape compared
with other cities" he said. THE po-
lice protection has not been increas-
ed in proportion to our population.
We have fewer policemen per capita
and we pay them less than any other
large city. Although | do not pre-
tend TO represent the sentiment Of
the Board OF Commerce, speaking as
president of that organization and as
a taxpayer, I believe that the require
ments OF the police department.
should be met even IL the tax rate
has to be increased over the late last
year"
Frank H. Bessenger, reporting on
the budget OF the fire department.
said that the fire commission was
satisfied with what ii had received.
THE trouble with the board Of
estimates in the past" said Mr.. Bar
l,
from the first and second wards have
thought that the only way TO econo-
mize was to cut everything out, and
they were willing to cripple any de.
partment of the city TO set record
for economy. | don't call that econ
omy. am in favor of allowing all
the increase asked for the patrolmen
or none at all. IL we allow them
half OF IL they will be right back
next year with request for more
In the matter OF increasing salaries,
think that the policemen and fire
men should be given precedence over
the teachers. | will never vote for
a fve-cent piece for the teachers un-
less the estimators can recommend
what teachers will get the increase"
The members OF the committee be-
fore adjourning took a vote on the
subject OF increasing the tax roll.
and IL was the unanimous opinion
that the rate should be increased to
500 If necessary for an ample budget,
OF even more
The report OF a. ID. B. Van Zandt on
thep arks and boulevards budget was
accepted, the opinion being that the
estimators had been liberal with that
department The report submitted by
r. NJ Grindley for the police depart
ment was also accepted.
The committee of taxation of the
Board of Commerce is composed as
follows: Chairman at large, Milton A.
McRae; George W. Bates, board Of
education; Frank II. Bessenger, fire
department; David A. Brown, general
road fund j. c. Goss, lighting COM
mission; A. II. Finn, department Of
public works II. NJ. Grindley, police
department.; c. q. Hannah, water
commission; A. ID. B. Van Zandt,
parks and boulevard commission; w.
c. Harris, public sewer and market
funds. The board of estimates was
represented by Estimator Henry G.
wobrock of the Eighteenth ward, and
President Barnett