The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-22
CITIZENS SHOULD
SEE C|TY'S ENTIRE
EXPENSE ACCOUNT
Walter Moore Says an Ac>,
counting Should Be Made
of Birmingham's Edu-
cational Department

In considering the financial situation
In Birmingham for the solution of which
the commission has asked the aid OF 100
citizens. Walter Moore said yesterday
that the commission should make public
its expense accounts I'm detail, it's salary
lists, and above all things an announcer
ment in detail of the educational ex-
pense should be demanded of the commits
sion and published. Mr.. Moore sue-
gested that the commission simply gives
to the board of education all the money
requested for expenses and that the com
missioners themselves do not know what
the educational system expense is. Mr..
Moore said that the board of aldermen
always made public the expense list. es-
pecially that relating to salaries. and
that the commission should do likewise.
81 am deeply interested in the propo-
sition to cure Birmingham of her 'finan-
cialitis,' said Mr. Moore yesterday, coin
ing new word. II believe that all hon-
est citizens want the city's debts paid.
however the plan may be to affect a set
Element We must have an honest mu-
nicipality IL we expect our people to dis
charge their obligations, so | want bonds
sold or the best thing done To pay all
that the city owes ! am not convinced
yet which is the hest scheme. however
but in considering the financial straits
of the city 1t occurs 10 me that we nave
insufficient Information about our ex-
penses and what we are paying the city
employees. l have not seen a detailed
statement made since the commission
I'm, an
under the board of aldermen we always
had printed and paid for detailed cx-
pense statement of the exact condition of
our expenses. The citizens are entitled
to know what money IL being paid to
all of It's servants. Especially is this
true of the board OF education. | have
not read statement of the expense of
that department In many months The
routine is for the board to be handed an
immense amount of money after prepar-
ing a budget, and then spend It. There
has been no public accounting of the
funds, so far as | have seen since the
aldermen went out of office. 1t strikes
me that the board of eduration COM
| posed as IL Is of some of our most dis
| tinguished citizens should make public
a detailed statement of it's expense, even
| II that statement had to be paid for by
the city of Birmingham.
| Il do not charge any Irregularities and
would not have my words msconstrued
as even intimating that the situation Is
| not perfectly clear but | simply throw
| this suggestion out as hint, and | be-
| lieve that the men who are going to
| help the commission solve its financial
problem will be fully entitled to that in
| formation. 1t follows that If the commit
tee is made acquainted with the actual
cost of operating the city i'm detail then
the taxpayers are entitled to similar in
| formation,
| II am not inclined to think that conf
mittee and the citizens OF Birmingham
| will overlook the fact that we have al
ready given the commission 81 100000
| with which to pay their debts which they
! claimed had been inherited from the old
aldermanlc regime. That should be borne
| In mind The debts now embarrassing
| the city are of their own making, and
| In the situation | hope they will have
grace enough not to charge their failures
| to an inherited debt from the old alder
| men,