The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-22
DECREASES TAX
Rate ONE CENT
FOR NEXT LEVY
City Also Provides for Motor
Ladder Truck and Crema-
tory in Forming Budget
for 1915 Work.
Appropriations Take Care of
West Side Dump, Public
Fairgrounds and Munich
pal Laboratory.

Tho important features OF the
1915 budget, to be submitted to the
city council Monday night for It's
approval, are az follows:
500 for a new crematory.
$1,000 for the maintenance OF
Fairgrounds.
$500 c,.sa municipal laboratory
under u supervision Of the
hears. sartment.
$1,000 Sor the improvement Of
the dump on the west bank Of the
river.
$4,000 for a motor ladder truck.
$21,O for water used by the
city and rental Of fire hydrants.
5000 for crushed stone for the
improvement Of macadam streets.
$4,000 for public improvements,
Of which Sc, 900 will be used as the
eity's share OF the cost Of the Nor
ton park sewer system, now under
construction.
Reduce Tax Rate.
Under the plans formulated total
reduction of one cent in the tax rate
for this city will be possible. The tax
rate of the school city is TO be reduced
from 81 to 80 cents while the civil
city tax rate will remain the same,
$1.1O. The contemplated increase OF
the civil city tax rate to Sill to pro-
vide $1,000 for Fairgrounds mainte-
nance, has been abandoned because it
is the opinion of the city officials that
this item of expense can be cared for
without a special one cent levy.
BY including the $4,000 appropria-
tion for ladder truck the total
amount of the various appropriations
provided in the tentative 1915 budget
exceeds by $4,000 the most conserva-
tive estimate Of the city's revenue for
next year, shut the city officials nave
reasons to believe that the municipal
revenue will be somewhat larger than
the low estimate they have made Of it
and they are confident that by practic-
ing the same economical policy which
has been followed out this year it will
be possible to purchase the truck after
the first six months of next year. If
their estimates are wrong, then the
purchase of the truck will be postpon-
ed until 1916.
A new item in the list OF municipal
expenditures which has to be provided
for next year is $4,000 for water used
by the city. Under the ruling of the
state utilities commission in the local
water works case, made this summer,
free water for the city is eliminated.
Raise Hydrant Rent.
The commission estimated that the
city's water bill per year would be
about $4,000 but the city officials be-
lieve that it will be at least $4,000
less. The SIT 1000 appropriated for fire
hydrant rentals is also much larger
than ever before because the annual
rent per hydrant was raised by the
commission from $40 to $55.
The $4,000 appropriation for crushed
stone is an increase of $4,000 over the
same appropriation for this year. The
board of public works is very desirous
Of placing the macadam streets in as
good repair as possible next year.
The appropriation of $1,000 to i'm
prove the west side dump is for the
purpose Of abating that very serious
nuisance. Some land in the close vicin-
ity Of the dump will be acquired
through condemnation, the fire in the
monster trash pile completely extin-
guished the work undertaken to make
the dump more presentable. Appropria-
tions for this dump will also be made
in 1916 and 1917 and by this gradual
outlay of money it is expected the
dump will be transformed from an eye.
sore to one of the best appearing sec.
tons of the city.
The $1,000 appropriated for a new
crematory will be sufficient to provide
plant large enough to dispose of all
the city's trash and garbage. 1t will
no 1Ncota1 a cifo Of ho
crematory.