Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-07
CITY FINANCTERS MAY
GRANT TAYL0R'S PLEA
FOR SALARY INCREASES
Subcommittee Likely to Make
Exception to Rule of PAIRING
Down All Departmental
Requests
WILL DEPEND ON LOAN

An exception to the general rule o
pairing" down all departmental requests
for 1916 is likely to be made by the mem
bers of the subcommittee on appropria-
tions OF Councils Finance Committee in
the case of Increases asked by Director
Taylor for transit experts and other city
employees who will have a part in the
great transit Improvements that will eX-
haust the $4,000, 900 provided in the 800,
100000 to he voted on February s.
When the members of the subcommit-
tee met in executive session last night
and again today they faced the task of
cutting estimates by more than $1,000 900,
and it was understood that no new posi-
tons would he provided for, with the pos
sible exception of places and increases
that could be taken from loan moneys
and not from current revenues.
Director TayIor's plea for the retention
of the firm of Ford, Bacon & Davis, con-
sultng engineers on the subway, and for
salary increases for his chief engineer
and others engaged on the transit work,
Is being given attention because the sal
aries, under the law. could all come from
loan money The estimated cost of re-
tanning the consulting engineers Is $50 900.
The engineering. administration and SUI
pervision OF rev transit work may be
eliminated largely from the annual bud
get, as applied to current expenses, by its
payment from the loan. For this reason
the needed engineers could all be paid
without Councils being called upon to
provide anything toward the item.
Director Taylor lifted a weight from the
minds OF the worried city inanciers when
he declared that as much as SlS5.OO0 could
be pared from tho expense items of his
department by applying the item to the
loan, as is done in private and corporate
business enterprises. The largest in
crease asked by Director Taylor is in the
salary paid to Chief Engineer II. c.
Quimby This official now receives $1,000
a year. and it is planned to double his
salary. in view of the immensely of the
undertaking over which he will have
during the years that the
great transit improvements are under
way.
Other increases asked in the budgets
include material additions to the city's
fire fighting and police forces of the
city These would have to come out
Of current revenues, and the action of
the tinanciers on these increases, in ad-
vance of their reporting out the annual
appropriation bills, is unknown.
Members of the Subcommittee on Ap-
today declared that it will
likely be possible for them to report on
a number of the appropriation bills at the
session of Councils scheduled for Thurs
day At this session ii is likely that the
bills for the county offices will be report
ed on, while those for the more impor-
tant municipal departments will be left
over until next week. The monster task
of providing for all departments must be
completed before the close of the year.
MayOr-elect Thomas h. Smith will con-
fer with Mr.. Taylor today or tomorrow
and will discuss with him the Taylor plan
In general and the proposed subways and
elevated lines in detail.