The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-16
Slice of at Least One Mill From
Levy for 1914.
Topeka CAN EAT PIE, keep IT
Four Expensive Improvements
Despite the Curtaflment.
Plans of Budget for Heads OF
City Departments.

Lower taxes for TOpeka. rOuI O.a
municipal improvements. put an at
tempt to reduce the levy from seven
mills to six. An effort. according 70
a statement made by Mayor Co1ran
TODAY. for Topeka to have her pie ano
eat it. Today brought out a proDap,i-
ity that city taxes for 1919 Will pe y
lower than they have been since aSlo'
the first wear Of the commission form
of government. Topeka, ACCORDING ,o
the state auditor, is In remarkaDle
financial shape.
"In 1918 and 1872" Mayor Cofran
said this afternoon, "the levy was sew
en- mills on the dollar. In 1911 1t was
eight mills. In 19oS, tn 1ast yea -,
the old council, and in 1910, wnen
commission was first tried out, the
tax was six and three-tenths mills.
An effort will be made this year to
reduce taxes to that amount-to
make it. if possible, lower.
All Want Improvements.
Yet the mayor and each of the
commissioners has pet Improve
ment in mind.
A reinforced concrete bridge across
the Shunganunga on the Country club
road - that's what Commissioners
Tandy wants. Under the thunder OF
the scores Of machines that cross the
bridge in the club season the bridge
rattles alarmingly. Mr.. Tandy wants
an appropriation Of $4,000 and as
surance Of safety for Topeka motor
lists But I believe we can reduce
taxes" said Mr. Tandy, who doesn t
make a statement until he has bal
anced pros and cons quite a bit in his
mind
A public rest room near Kansas
ayenue-possibly on Seventh street,
behind the National hotels Com
missioner Porter's plan. And he Is
dubious about the reduction. He
wants $4,000 in his budget instead
of $4,000. Last year his appropria-
ton was cut down. "a
An added appropriation for the po-
lice force and $4,000 for an elevator
in the city building is the mayors cry.
Commissioner Newland may ask Tor a
new unit in the electric light depart
ment. 80
the commissioner of waterworks ano
electric lights. The water depart
ment is not provided for in the annual
budget. 1t is run on an income basis,
and pays for itself.
Big Fire Department Expense.
Last year the cost of running To-
peka was $371,OO0. The expenses In
the fire department were enormous.
Since the organization of the COM
mission form of government the city
has annually paid off $4,000 of its
bonded debt. The debt has been re-
duced to $3.50, 0,00O-an unusually small
sum, according to Commissioner Tan
dy, for a city of this size.
The per capita cost Of municipal
government in 1912 was $11.5S and
the per capita net debt at the end of
the year $36.72. These figures were
compiled in a report of financial sta
tistics of cities having an estimated
population of over 10000 issued by the
federal bureau of the department OF
commerce. In Kansas City, Kan, and
in Wichita the cost was less and the
debt larger.
Each of the commissioners is busy
preparing his 1914 budget to be COM
pleted July IS. When the improve
ments to be allowed each department
have been agreed upon. the levy will
be made. The commissioner of finance
is out of the city; his budget will be
small The other commissioners are
working with pencil, paper and plans.
Mayor Cofran, Commissioner Tandy
and Commissioner Newland are chant
ing in chorus: For Topeka a lower
levy in 1914"