The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-05

ceived by the council on March 80.
1910, just before it went out of exist
ence. born to an unsuspecting public
and quietly left on the doorstep of
crematory. In addition to the 1896
which the commission must raise each
year to pay interest on the $4,000 of
twenty-year bonds voted by the coun-
ell to build this plant, is the cost OF
operation which amounts to something
like $500 per year in excess of re-
ceipts, and an expense that the old
council never had to provide for. but
this together with the salary increase
has been charged to the commission
government.
Another bouquet of the council,
handed to the commission. was a de-
ficit of some $36, 900 in the general
fund. Funding bonds would have been
necessary to care for this had the
council continued another. year. These
show up against commission govern
ment but for which the former cOun-
Gil is altogether responsible.
Commission Increases.
Now, I will enumerate some of the
increases for which the commission. is
altogether responsible, and 1 want to
say in passing that am proud of the
fact that 1 voted for every one of
them. Probably the greatest increase
practically doubled under commission
government. If there was a large
park east Of Kansas avenue to share
in the improvements so that it would
not be such an injustice to those own
ing property in that section, the park
levy should be increased still more.
Topeka is not keeping pace with other
cities of her size in the matter of park
and playground development. (The
old council would have been forced to
recognize this fact had it continued.)
Great White Way.
Our Great White Way has been
built and maintained since commits
sion government went into effect. This
improvement, it's upkeep and neces-
sary machinery, maintaining and oper-
ating, has been quite an added ex-
pense, but 1 challenge the most ardent
supporter of council government to say
that he would be willing to do without
this magnificent improvement in our
downtown street lighting system.
Another cause for the increased ex-
penditures is our bridge levy. Many
of the bridges across Shunganunga
creek are really in a dangerous condi-
ton and they should have been re-
sion is largely responsible for a change
in the statute, enabling the city to raise
by levy, for bridge purposes, sum
sufficient to build one good bridge
each year without the necessity of vOt-
ing longtime bonds.
As a result Of this. the commission
during the past year shared with the
county in the cost of the Fifteenth
street bridge and paid it's share,
| $500, in cash. Provision has been
made and funds are now available for
the construction of a new, concrete
! bridge on Lincoln street and also one
| on South Kansas avenue. These
bridges must be built and they cost
money, to raise which is bound to
| increase taxes but isn't it wise ex-
penditure and isn't it better to pay
cash rather than issue longtime
| bonds and pay as much in interest
charges as the improvement amounts
to?
Retiring Outstanding Bonds.
The sinking fund levy, to retire out
standing bonds has shown a decided
increase since commission form OF
government began. A glance at the
table will show that under council
| government the bonds increased each
year. The same table shows that
during the five years of commission
rule, 100000 of general bonds have
been retired and provision made and
funds are now available to retire $21,-
| 900 more in next November. This
will make a total of $128,00O of To-
peka's general bonded Indebtedness
entirely wiped out by commission
government, and not one dollar OF
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