The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-11

ON the streets, and corresponding
year nnds a demand for more and
quicker work. The council should not
permit a single thorouehfare 10 oeeu-
pietion OF the separation of its grade
Negotiations should forthwith ensue TO
procure contracts for the separation OF
grades In all sections OF the city
street Opening Assessments.
On the extreme east OF the city, on
the north and northwest, and on the
west. great stretches OF territory have
been added to the municipal domain
For years to come streets and hign-
ways now I'm existence in Detroit Will;
In many places have TO be extended
through this added territory. In some
has been imposed upon the owners OF
property by burdehsome street opening
assessments THE charter should he
by spreading the payment over a mum
Der OF years. The assessment could De
collected with the annual city tax the
necessary funds for the awards eouia
be obtained by the sale OF bonds In
much the same way as bonds are is
sued under the compulsory paving act
Separate Elections.
The experience of American NUM-
cipalities has demonstrated the evil OF
holding municipal elections on the
same day as. and as a part Of state
and national elections. Unfortunately
for the best interests or our city, on,
city charter still contains that oansiuI
feature OF the notorious Ripper leg
islation OF 1901, and our citizens are
compelled to confuse purely local np
tiers with partisan Issues OF state OF
tain our character as a ProgrsssivS
community. We will speedily aOollsh
this system, and adopt a programme
whereby municipal elections VIII, VII, o oS
lions and candidates viii receive iair-
er and fuller consideration than when
they are confused with national ana
state politics. The people Will be given
shorter ballot The count OF the
votes will be made much more rapidly
and accurately, and above all the
voter will learn that important lesson
OF municipal patriotism, to vote for
men, not labels, for principles, not poll
tics. I favor the submission TO the
people, OF such a charter amendme,n.
officials at large on the first Tuesday
after the FIRST Monday OF November "a
the odd years. and the selection OF al
| In the fall election OF each year,
Taxation.
The growing burden OF taxation has
| become a source OF indignant COM
plant In 1909 the tax rate was Sls.O1
thousand Those charged with making
up the budget. ought to remember that
they are trustees or the taxpayers
funds. and the aldermen and estimat-
| budget ought to be keenly conscious
of the fact that II Is much easier Tor
| them to vote a big budget upon the
backs OF the taxpayers than IL IL Ior
the taxpayers to pay IL at tax-paytpg
| time.
Economy and retrenchment are, In
my Judgment. vital principles OF the
| that a municipality ought to exercise
| the same policy that Is exercised by an
individual namely: retrench its eN
1 M n Il
vidual hnds himself short OF money,
| he goes without many things when
/ perhaps he ardently desires 10 possess;
He would be considered reckless ana
extrayagant IL, Notwithstanding MS
| financial necessity. he continued 10
crafty every within and desire. am
personally satisfied that the income OF
the city derived from the contributions
of the taxpayers ought to be limited to
| not more than $3.50 per thousand OF
| the assessed valuation; that this hgure
, II all that the individual taxpayers can
afford 10 pay at any one time. l urge
upon the aldermen and the estimators
such wise retrenchment in municipal
expenditures as Will keep the burden
OF taxation down to this point
II occurs TO me that a vast amount
of work can be done for the ten MIL
lion dvfiare which has been the annual
appropriation: and this brings me to
the question which consider OF hrst
Importance in municipal expenditure
namely: Ia the taxpayer receiving
dollar OF service from the municipal
officials for each dollar OF tax that ne
contributes 20 the treasury? In some
eastern cities educational exhibits have
been held at the expense OF the munici-
pality. In order to inform the public as
! TO the method In which, and the pur-
poses for which, the taxpayers money
| Is expended, with the end In view,
doubtless. that such publicity VIII
work correction OF extravaganza and
| waste.
/ -~-..--s~- ~ Muut.suaI nesearch
There has also come into vogue In
| some eastern cities a plan whereby
board OF municipal research carefully
canvasses the operations OF the seVeral
| city departments. with view TO as
pertaining the methods OF transactlng
departmental business and installing
economical systems of operation the
war on waste and extravaganza liz one
which vitality concerns every taxpayer.
am firmly convinced that IL dollar
! of service was rendered to the tax
payer FOR every dollar OF taxes that he
contributes, all OF the work now being
done from the annual appropriations
could be done with substantial de-
crease In the annual appropriations II
seems TO me that the municipality
ought 10 copy the wisdom or large IN
dustrial enterprises which spend thou
sands Of dollars in devising and Install
/ ing economical systems or production.
To that end. and copying the example
! OF other cities. / suggest that an nom
| orary commission OF successful masters
| OF business system be created for the
purpose of scrutiniZing the operation o.
all city departments. and making such
| recomme md attons as, in their good
| Judgment will conduce to prudent re-
trenchment without impairing depart
mental efficiency. have no doubt
that there can be found many public
spirited men In our community VINO
| will give OF their wisdom and expert
ence for the city's progress.
| further. recommend that there shall
| be printed on the back OF each tax
| receipt given to individual taxpayers.
! n schedule OF the various city depart
| lions allotted to them. so that every
taxpayer may have an opportunity OF
knowing for what general purposes his
money IL spent.
| I further recommend that the Mayor
of the city shall he given a power
similar to that given to the Governor
| OF the state by the last constitution,
appropriations.
| The annual tax roll should be made to
| bear only the current expense OF munici-
pal maintenance Permanent improve
ments should be provided for by bond is
| sues so that those who get the benefits
from them will bear the burden OF their
expense from year TO year.
Increased Bonding Limit.
Contingent upon the people sanction
ing an Increase OF the limit OF bonded
Indebtedness I'm the year 1910. the Com
mon Council and the Board OF Estimates
authorized series OF appropriations
which would require the Issuance of
bonds in the sum OF ti.2S5,00O. AT the
bonded indebtedness had been reached.
4, has heen impossible to make the Inn