The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-10
City Commissioners Apparently
. Anxious for Lower Taxes
But Thcy Have Little Faith In
Their Present Plan.
PORTER SAYS n IS IMPOSSIBLE
Park Commissioner Can Sec No
Lower Levy Ahead.
wholesale whiting Must Be
Accomplished Next week.

Mayor Ccfran-It stili looks Nike lowee
% Gommi.sioner minis "HSs Bone"1t :. 1 iooRs to : " mas,
up a tree a. though We might have low-
er levy. There is' no $4,000 fire station -
Commissioner randy-The levy ought
to be lower. You never can tell.
Commissioners Newland-The levy may
be lower. can't mako . positive staAe-
Commissioner Porter-No. I've main-
tanned All along that the levy eaanot -
reduced. How can growing city re-
duce its levy?
viii the prayer Of the taxpayers of
Topeka for the last few years b
answered?
WIN the board Of city commissions
ers prove that economy and lower
taxes can be accomplished under the
commission form Of governmental
These are the questions that are
pouring into the city hall daily.
Meanwhile the city comminsionefs
are giving out nothing but hopes. DE-
sires. and ought-to-be's.
The flve commissioners went ON reo-
ord in the tax problem today. But it
il q dismal platform upon which 70
base tho hopes for the next city levy.
The statements Of the four commits
sioners are not encouraging to Mayor
Cofran, who stated publicly . short
time ago that the taxes should be
reduced. ~
The mayor says he still hopes to
accomplish the reduction. Bone
enlightens your heart with the exc
preston you never can tell" New
land Just can't make q positive state
ment. Porter, fearless and insistent,
says 1t IL impossible--and he makes
no apologies for It.
Topeka is a growing city with grow
ing needs. The boy alwAyosWears out
more shoe leatiaer than the baby. The
cry that has gone up from the few dis
gruntled taxpayers II to the effect that
the commission form II more oxpen-
sive and less economical than the old
the predicted chance for the commits
sioners to either submit to or deny
the charge.
Fight On Next Week.
The statements obtained from the
city commission spell Battle. Battle to
begin next week. Some Of the commits
sioners are prophesying it. others are
The budgets will be presented next
Wednesday. Mr.. Bones, Mr.. Newland's
and Mr.. Tandy's estimate Of annual ex-
penses will be practically the same ~
AncL yCdAs uC 1udyOE Will VIC A0~
creased several thousand dollars. Last
year Mr.. Porter's $500 budget vac
whitfield to $42.163. He wants his @tl.-
600 this year-and then some.
Moreover, the elevator. which Mayor
Cofran has been maintaining must be
installed. will not be included In the
mayors budget. It should be included
in buildings and public improvements
Mr.. Porter's department.
There will be no elevator" said Mr..
Porter, tersely, this morning.
In q recent interview Mayor Coffan
stated that an attempt would be made
to reduce the city levy from seven to
six and three-tenths mills on the dollar.
If this reduction is accomplished it
will mean a generous slicing from the
various budgets which have been sub
mitted.
Although the North Topeka fire sta
tion. completed this month, was al
lowed $22,3s0 in last years budget-a
special fun-at least $4,000 additional
will be asked this year in the budgets
Of the police chief. the f1re marshal and
the park commissioner.