Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-03-07
COPEL|N MAY HAVE
To PAY HIS CLERKS
FROM OWN POCKET
Commissioner Bowman Points Out
That City Treasurer Gets Bigger
Salary Than Governor

All the clerical assistance employed
by City Treasurer o. M. Copelin may
have to be paid for by the City Treas
urer himself.
Protest against the practice of pro-
viding for the payment by the city of
two of the clerks in the City Treasury
was begun yesterday at the meeting
of the City Commissioners when they
considered the budget.
City Commissioner Harry T. Bow
man, superintendent of the depart
ment of public safety, started the pro-
test.
Ordinarily three clerks are employed
in the Treasury, one of whom is paid
for by the City Treasurer. The sala-
ries of the other two, $1,000 and
$1,000 year, respectively, have been
provided for in the city budget. Dur
ing the absence of City Treasurer
Copelin, who is on a southern sea trip,
an additional clerk, paid for by the
Treasurer, has been on duty.
BOwman's Position
Commissioner Bowman's position is
that the City Treasurer is amply COM
pensated for collecting the taxes and
can afford to pay for all his clerks.
During the past year Mr.. CopeIin's sal
AIRY and commissions, according to
Commissioner Bowman, amounted to
$14 .OS3.OS.
ITO my mind" said Commissioner
Bowman, 1.-The people of the city
should be relieved of the expense of
paying for these clerks, particularly
in view of the fact that the City Treas
urer receives the salary he does. Why,
the Governor of pennsylvania only
gets $4,000. Furthermore, there will
be change next year and the City
Treasurer will be elected by the com.
missioners This will mean that the
city Will have to pay for clerk hire,
because the salary of the Treasurer
then will be only $2,500 I've been
protesting against the payment of
these clerks from the city budget and
believe the items will be cut from
this years appropriation bill"
Another problem that confronted
the commissioners yesterday was the
question of paying off the city's in
debtedness incurred by the paving of
street intersections and nonassessa BILE
properties from as far back as 1908.
Thinks Debt Should Be Paid
Commissioner Bowman thinks that
the time to liquidate this indebtedness
In this year, when the city will be in a
position to do so, even though this will
mean that the expected decrease in the
present mill rate will be impossible.
This Is only good business to my
mind" said Commissioner Bowman.
We're paying interest on these bonds.
Next year we'll not be in nearly SO
good q position financially to pay off
the debt. What would any big manu-
featuring concern or other business
establishment do under similar cir
cumstances? Why, they'd pay off the
debt, certainly. OF course this will
mean that we positively cannot reduce
the mill rate from nine and a half
mills.
Most of the street intersection in
debtedness has been cleared off, but
the nonassessable property is still
large. Whitehall street property
along the Reservoir will mean addi-
tional cost. Then, too, there Is State
street, including Royal Terrace-that
stretch of several hundred feet which
was taken over by the city by coun-
ellis against the advice, as I'm told. of
the City Solicitor. Royal Terrace. /
understand, Is owned by Mayor Royal.
William Hoerner and Others"
New ordinances to be introduced
Tuesday will include the measure pro
viding for sliding scale of water
rates for manufacturers and some leg
islation relative to the establishing of
the department of food inspection.
Action relative to the City Treasurer s
clerks will have to be taken before
Mr.. Copelin returns, as the budget
must be made up as soon IS possible.
Only two more meetings of the budget
makers will be necessary These will
be held Monday and Wednesday.