The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-27
new BUDGET WILL
CARRY $3.500.0OO
Many Demands on City Treas
ury for Increased
Expenditures.
BOARD ASKS PROMPT ACTION
Would Get Public Improve
ments Under Contract With
out Interminable Delay.

Budget-making will engross the time
of the Council Finance Committee.
and of the various department heads
of the city government for the next few
weeks. The problem OF how TO make g.
900 600 of revenue meet 10000 600 of de-
mands is not an easy one, and some
sharp use of a pruning knife by the
budget subcommittee may be ex-
pected in connection with the requests
of the various departments. The forth
coming budget Will carry total of
approximately 50. 500. 600. Efforts will be
made TO report IL TO the Council as
soon as possible in order that public
improvements may be placed under
contract at as early a date as prac-
ticabIe. Last year the annual appro-
priation ordinance was reported 10 the
Council on February 20, and carried a
grand total of 50 $50, 3sl 90. of which
amount the item of $47 .53i for widening
Roseneath Road was eliminated before
the paper was adopted.
Old Committees Wasted Time.
Notwithstanding the efforts made last
year to secure the early adoption of the
budget in order that public works
might be started, much time was lost
by the various committees. Funds
for the repaving of Broad street were
available from March Is, but II was not
until June that the Street Committee
took the matter up 10 the extent OF
trip to Atlantic City. Wrangling
among themselves, the committee did
not award a contract until August II :.
the street car company began replacing
its rails on August 20. and the paving
contractor struck his first pick Septem-
Der l6. just six months after the Mayor
signed the appropriation ordinance.
The case of the First Regiment Ar
mory was similar The budget pro-
vided SIS 900. and authorized the Com
mittee on Grounds and Buildings 10
contract for an armory 70 cost not more
than sos eco. one delay succeeded
another. and it was not until the final
meeting of the committee. late in
Decembe that the contract for the
building was signed.
Board Wants Prompt Action.
The Administrative Board announces
its intention as far as practicable of
eliminating this form of delay. II has
already taken the bull by the horns and
advertised for bids for the Broad Street
paving west OF Third Street. contract
70 be awarded when funds are available
and the car company has been notified
TO rebuild its tracks on West Main
Street for the board will pave there as
soon as the street fund Is subject to its
control.
Special Accountant George S. Cren-
shaw is already at work on skeleton
plan for the budget. in which he has
placed the various fixed items to be pro
vided for. one third of the entire
amount must be set apart for the pay
roll amounts of city employees. whose
mum Der and pay is fixed by ordinance
Nearly $500 eco will be required for in
terest and redemption OF the cIty's debt
Boradly speaking, after interest on city
bonds. fixed pay-rolls and general ex-
penses of the city departments have
been provided for. the budget-makers
will have something like $500 900 to $780,
eco to apportion into permanent improve
ments-
streets the Greatest Need.
OF this there Is already obligated
funds sufficient to erect the new
First Regiment ArmOry-Sl5o.6 G- The
Broad Street paving Is TO be continued
for another seven blocks at an approx
mate cost Of So. coo. Streets generally
Will take the lions share of the re-
mainder. demanding at least s25O.OO
for the general street fund, exclusive
of any special smooth paving that
NAV be ordered A more liberal pro-
vision than heretofore will be made for
the Improvement of Shockoc Creek and
BacOn's Quarter Branch. New water
and gas mains Will take up most of the
remainder.