The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-18
Report of City Treasurer for
1910 Is Big Surprise.
Shows City Commissioners Spent
$4,000 Month More.
BONE FILES PROTEST.
Says Operating Cost Is Increase
of Only 1900 Month.
Receipts in 1910 Were $4,000
Less Than in 1909.

According to the annual report OF
the city treasurer, j. d. Pattison, Just
completed, the cost of the commission
form Of government in Topeka has
been running about $4,000 a month
heavier than the cost under the old
council form. For the first nine
months OF the commission form in
Topeka the city's expenditures have
amounted to $621,535.S5. For the II
months of 1909 under the council
plan the disbursements were $71S,-
393.48. The cost per month for the
commission form was $69,O59 and for
the year 1909 under the mayor and
council was S59.866.
This surprising fact is more i'm
portant when it is figured through the
treasurer's annual report that the city
commissioners started out on their
new term with a balance of $S0,OOS
more than the councilmen did in
1909 when they began their new term.
This would run the 1910 expenditures
up until they were $4,000 month
more than in 1903.
In the terms of the legislature the
city treasurer's report is majority
report Following the sworn state
ments of ]. D. Pattison, city treasur-
er and his deputy Miss Alberta Hale,
comes the minority report of Roy
who says that the actual operating
cost of running the city under the
commission form of government has
only been about $1S, 900 more or aver
aging $500 month.
Commissioner Bone does not deny the
fact that the report of the city treas
urer is the actual status of the city's
finances. But he claims that it does
not show the operating expenses and
the work of the city commissioners
under the new form of government.
He says, also, that the city commits
sin N nine months have
really been working under the old
council laws in regards finances.
But there is another feature that
has been directly under the supervision
of the city commissioner namely,
the city receipts. In the year 1909
city's receipts were $79S,396. Since the
commissioners have taken control the
receipts have been $4O3,898. Aver
aging the receipts per month it shows
that the city commissioners have tax
en- in but $44,S77 a month while the
old government took in $66,533 a
month. This leaves a margin of near
~ $4,000 a month in favor of the
mayor and council.
Deducting the $4,000 a month in
creased cost in expenditures it would
leave still $4,000 a month in favor of
the mayor and city council.
What is the explanation for this?
The minority report" coming from
Roy L. Bone, city commissioner, tells
2 different tale-as far as the relation
OF the city treasurer's report to the
work of the city commissioners is con-
cerned.
Commissioner Bone has it figured
out that the operating expenses of the
city for 1909 were $441,O90 and for
1910 under the commission form they
We're $360,795. The commission form
has been in power only nine months.
Figuring by months this gives the
councils expenses at $36,755 a month
and the commission $40,OOS a month
or almost $4,000 more for the COM
missioners.
Here is the condensed report of the
city treasurer:
1910
Balance April l, 1910. ............. S416. 457 IS
Total receipts Dec. 81, 1910. ..... 4O3 sos Sc
$3.50. 856. "a
Total disbursements. 621. 535. s.
Balance Jan. l. 1911............$ 19S $40 AZ
1909.
Balance April /. 19O9............. $685. 454 81
Total receipts Dec. 81, 1910. ...... 79S, 1886. "a
$1,134, So. 4(
Total disbursements. us, 1893 9:
RaIanca Ion 1o11 &C