The Detroit times., 1915-04-27
Former Plans to Cut
Out Every Increase
! Aldermen Made
lSQUABBLE LIKELY,
TO REACH COURTS
Pruning of Budget
Must Be Finished
By Thursday

Desperate attempts will be made
BY the Board OF Estimates to curtail
the budget so that the tar rate for
delb will be below S2I.t0. but this Is
abcnt the lowest figure that the esti-
N stors say they can reach.
Thursday night will finish the
work OF the estimators this year. as
Friday Is the last day on which the
common council can act on the bud
get submitted TO them by the esti-
motors. In order TO reach,the s2l so
fsure, considerable slashing must
still be done. according to President
Edward T. Nichols. A
Not single salary increase will
Stand. II President Nichols has his
way. Not only will all the increases
granted by the aldermen be cut out,
tut Commissioner FsokelI, OF the D..
r W. will not get his $4,000 boost
to $1,000. even though he resigned
and was reappointed: nor will the
three assessors who resigned and
were reappointed at higher salaries
get their increase; neither will Con
trcller Engel receive $4,000 instead
OF $4,000. even II he resigns In order
20 be reappointed.
In the war between the estimators
and tho aldermen. the aldermen are
planning. according TO q report cur
rent Monday In the city hall. to pass
q resolution in the council meeting.
Tuesday evening. instructing Control.
lei Engel 10 pay no attention TO the
action Of the, Board OF Estimates In
reducing SALARIES. But the estimat.
ors are merely laughing ut this ulti.
matum.
The Board OF Estimates has the
final work on salaries. as well as on
al other items. II I read correctly
the law under which we were Great.
ed" said president Nichols. IF we
az the budget ut q certain figure. al.
lowing 90 much for each department.
tae aldermen have no authority TO
60 over our heads. This we intend
90 do. without allowing a single sal
airy increase. We hope that such
action will precipitate court tight.
II will be up TO the common council
20 mandamus us, In that event, TO
hold 4 special session TO grant the
salary increases which the aldermen
have stipulated.
IF the courts decide that the sal.
airy increases are legal. and that the
common council has the final word
on salaries, I believe that the people
OF Detroit will rise against the coun.
ell. II wouldn't surprise me to see
the commission form u government
established.
The people OF Detroit want a
great many things, talk In favor OF
many improvements, but don't be-
neve they want TO pay for them. II
we 20 on increasing the budget. year
after year. We shall end by driving
business away from the city. because
factories will not be able TO afford
20 locate here.
what Is the remedy? don't know.
There is plenty OF property In De
troit that is not on the tar rolls at
its fun volue--I mean real estate and
buildings. There 10 also plenty OF
personal property, but don't know
how We can get at that. The more
! see OF politics and government, the
more I believe In a land tar as the
best OF oil taxes. Under the present
system. all we can do II TO cut away
At the budget to make II as small as
possible without Gripping the city.
II talked 20 the chairman OF COM
mittees again. Saturday night. about
the necessity OF cutting wherever
necessary. and shall take up the
natter with them again. have
asked them to 90 over all the items
once more. questioning each one to
see II there Is not something that
can he eliminated"
Tho parks and boulevards budget
hso been passed on by the estimat-
ors, but Il can still be re-opened, IL
the board finds II necessary to do
some lastminute cutting. In the po-
lice budget. which is to be taken up.
Monday evening. the big question Is
the granting pr rs additional men. In
the Board Of Education budget. a
question has arisen over the item
OF al, 900 for a lunch room In the
Central high school. and there IL
strong likelihood that II will 20 into
the limbo of refused" The play
grounds budget is said to be due for
another cut.
hut the item which seems most
likely TO be fought about 10 that OF
n.150.ooo for site and buildings
for the proposed new House OF Cor
rection. Many Of the estimators are
not satisfied with the site proposed.
on the French road. east OF the city.
They claim that land 30 near the city
is too expensive for the purpose: that