The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-23

make up a budget for the next fiscal
 year is one which should be promptly needed The citys fiscal year begins
 on July i. Section 1196 of the code re-
 auires the commissioners at or before
 the beginning of each fiscal year., to
 'appropriate the sums necessary for
 the expenditures of the several city
 departments for such fiscal year and
 that such appropriations shall not az
 gregate an amount in excess of it's an
 nually, legally authorized revenue
 Under this statute, 1t Is the commits
 sioners' duty to make an estimate of
 the probable revenue for the fiscal
 year, and to make an appropriation for
 the city's expenses, which must not ex-
 ceed the estimated revenue. In other
 words, the commissioners are required by law to make up budget at the be- ginning of the fiscal year We are now being called on to authorize a
 large bond issue, and it is the duty of
 the commissioners to show in the clearest manner possible, what use they purpose to make of the proceeds of the | bonds. For this reason, good faith as well as the mandatory provisions of law, requires that the budget be made up.
 | Much of the opposition to the bond
 issue is due to the suspicion. which ex
 ists even among the partisans of com
 mission government, that the city is
 not living within it's income. Tax payers and thoughtful citizens are no | willing to be met with a deficit veal 1 after year. We made a fight for i commission in order to avoid this yer. | thing, and there is universal demand | that the city's expenses shall be GU | so as to do away with the deficits. I
 may rightfully be demanded that tho l commissioners forthwith bring the city's expenses within it's income. However much we may approve many acts of the commission. it re-
 mains that the city's expenditures arc yet far in excess of it's income. The total saving announced to this time
 is little over s100,000. The deficit for
 the current year is over $500,000, and the commission must get down to bus mess at once and make further neces- sary reductions.
 "The people are asked to vote for the bond issue as an expression of con fidence in the commission. Confidence should not be expected except upon a
 showing that it Is deserved. The com mission should put us in possession of all the facts. An essential part of
 these facts is: What will be the city s expenses for next year? If the com mssionerS have not calculated these
 expenses, they should, as matter of common business prudence, do so al once and having made the calcula- tions, they should give the informa- tion to the public. It seems probable that the commission has made no fig
 ures for next years expenses. Such a course invites financial failure, and the i commission can never be the success which it's friends so ardently desire by pursuing such methods.
 We need more public spirit in Bir-
 mingham; more of the disposition to inquire into the acts of our officials. and tolrequire of them government on the sogndest business principles. We need increased interest upon all pub lie questions. One of our greatest mis- fortunes is that we have no civic club
 or similar organization for the pur- pose of considering public matters. The dispositibn in some quarters to con- demn all scrutiny into the acts of the
 commssbn. as coming from sore
 heads hpstile to commission govern
 ment is hot only unjust, but Is insin-
 cere and the worst possible policy. The commission should challenge criticism
 and invitelit. Where the commission is right. it shpuld be sustained by public sentiment. When it is wrong or in- efficient, il should be criticised and corrected. It is only by these means that 1t cam be made a success. and those who would stifle just criticism
 are the wofst enemies of commission cOxrernn1ont