The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-23
MAYORTO PLEAD
FOR MONEY FOR
MUNICIPAL Line
Will Ask EstimatOrs to Allow
S250,000 to Begin Work
on West Side
sSAYS IT'S SLAP AT M. O. IF
AMOUNT ISN'T ALLOWED
Board Would Like to Raise
Amount by Bond Issue, But
Marx Opposes This

Mayor Marx will 90 before the
board OF estimates. Wednesday, and
defend the $250,O00 appropriation fol
municipal transportation line In
JunctiOn-ave. 1t is likely that dele
cation Of west-side citizens will also
be present to give the mayor their
moral support in his fight for better
transportation facilities In their dis
trict.
: The appropriation Is being held up
ny the board. pending word from the
mayor and the corporation counsel.
Chairman Arthur K. Condor inter
viewed Corporation Counsel Lawson,
tuesday morning, and asked II there
d any possibility OF raising the $780,
: 200 asked by bond issue separate
from that authorized in the municipal
ownership amendment. The corpora
lion counsel said there Is pot,
Either spread the amount on the
tax rolls or cut II out entirely" ad-
used lawson IF the law under
which municipal ownership was sub
mitted Is sustained we will have the
authority to issue bonds up TO two per
cent OF the city's assessed valuation
tor municipal railway purposes. There
will be nothing then TO prevent the
S250,000 from being taken out Of this
bond issue"
The corporation counsel limited that
the validity OF the $3.50, 600 appropria-
tion may be attacked. and Estimator
Gordon inquired II the entire budget
would be tied up In the event OF the
municipal railway appropriation being
attacked. The corporation counsel
explained that, should such an event
occur, the city would be enjoined from
expanding the $250,000 or any part
Of II.
we don't want to raise the $3.50, 900
by bond ISSUE said Mayor Marx. III
he estimators attempt to cut out
that item, it will be stab at the
municipal ownership plan that the
people OF Detroit have voted for
There is no way of telling how
long that $l0.000.0OO bond issue for
municipal street railway purposes
will be tied up. and that is the rea-
son | want $250.000 TO start work as
soon as the couE decides in our
favor.
If the estimators try to place the
we'll cut 1t out altogether. The idea
Is to have the money available and
without any strings to ii for street
railway purposes. We could not hope
10 have much success with a $10,00U,-
600 bond Issue II the city would re-
fuse to appropriate the small sum OF
S250,000 for municipal street railway
purposes at the start"
Friends OF municipal ownership pre-
TESS to see yelled attempt to knife
municipal ownership In the action or
the board OF estimates. They point
out that the board Is taking upon IT.
self Legislative power when it at
tempts to take away an appropriation
for municipal ownership purposes az
ter the people have voted In favor Of
the proposition.
All the influence possible will be
brought to bear on the estimators to
have them pass the appropriation
without further delay. The mayor,
while confessing his surprise that the
estimators would dare to hold up tho
appropriation at this time. says he is
sure that the board will pass the Item,
Wednesday night.
II know the board wants to cut
down every appropriation and I my
self asked the estimators to keep the
tax rate as low as possible" said the
mayor but do not think they ought
10 touch the $250.000 appropriation
even to keep the tax rate down we
have been waging a fight against the
-. U. r. for years, and 1t has cost the
city and the taxpayers a great deal
of money. Here Is our chance to
gain q foothold. and we do not want
to miss the opportunity"