The Ocala evening star., 1915-09-11
COMMUNICATION FROM
PRESIDENT MEFFERT
He GIVES SOME VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION
REGARDING CITY EXPENSES
To the City Council of Ocala.

To the City Council of Ocala.
Gentlemen: In the new estimate
for the expenditures for the budget of
1876, submitted to the city eoun-
Gil AZ their meeting of August oath,
by Councilman Moore, number of
changes were recommended to tighten
the burden of the tax payers, citing
financial depression, and strict econ
omy should be practiced in every de-
partment. This is highly comendable-
Mr.. Moore says @We are progress
sive and desire to keep up with larger
cities in public improvements, but
must consider that improvements can
not be made by direct taxation, so
the question for the council to solve,
is, how to keep down the expense of
the city within reason so the tax
payer may not be bnrdened by ex-
cessive taxation under present finan-
cial conditions" This is all sweet
music to the tax payer.
Mr.. Moore promises relief to the
tax payer as follows:
Executive Department
This department consists solely of
salaries and incidental expenses. Sal
aries of councilmen is SIS per month.
While not excessive it amounts to
1,620 a year. Mr.. Moore suggested
that all members of the council do.
nate their salary toward maintain
ing either hospital, Ocala band, or a
rest room. The rest room was pre-
ferred, so Il mill was added for that
purpose, but nearly all councilmen
present preferred to draw their sal
aries. No reduction resulted in this
department, but Il mill was added to
the general fund.
i will only discuss the departments
where reductions were recommended.
Street Department
Here a reduction of $500 was
made. Upon investigation l find that
a number of our streets are in de-
plorable condition and have had very
little attention. The Silver Springs
road is reported as being in a dread
full condition and would take over
$1,000 to repair it. We must also
make arrangements to purchase ma
terial from some source, as the city's
quarries are exhausted. Taking all
this in consideration, it would add to
the estimate of the budget instead of
reducing it. Then the Indebtedness of
this department is not covered by Mr.
Moore's estimate. One bill $5O6 to
the Standard Oil Co., for a car Of as
phaltum, remains unpaid. The as
phaltum wAJ purchased last year,
stored in the city stable lot, and a
great portion is going to waste.
Sanitary Department
A reduction of $500 in this depart
ment was made, the chairman of this
committee stating that he could have
the work done less the $500, all mem
bers voting yea. This is the only de-
partment that can stand the reduc-
ton
Sidewalk Paving
Under this head there was $4,000 set
aside to take care of the city's indebt-
ness TO the Woodmar Sand e. Stone
Co. This item was not for new work,
but was stricken from the budget,
stating that paving certificates could
be sold to take care of the balance
due. The finance committee was in
structed two months ago TO dispose
OF the certificates, but up to date no
sale is reported, and in the event the
sale was effected the money realized
could not be used to take up the city
notes for $4,000 held by our banks and
stop paying interest, so there is no re-
duction, if certificates are not sold, no
provision is made to pay the Wood
mar Sand e. Stone Co.
Fire Department
No reductions are recommended ex-
cepting $1,000 on hydrant rental and
city water. This would only benefit
the non-consumer Of water and tax
payer if he was called on to pay. On
the other hand, the earnings of the
plant would show $1,000 shy a year,
yet the cost of operating the plant
would be the same. On the whole, it