Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-04
MAYOR URGES FRONTAGE
TAX LAW BE APPLIED;
SUGGESTS CITY NEEDS

Mayor Lanes inaugural. message to
the board of supervisors today is as
follows: -.:... ~: 49,
To the Board OF Supervisors of the
City and County of Honolulu:
The establishment of local govern
ment wass one of the most far-reach.
ing and important governmental
changes ever made in Hawaii. The
first act, passed by the legislature In
1903, was held invalid: the second, en-
acted in 1905, created counties; the
third, enacted in 1907, incorporated the
then county Of Oahu into the citv and
county of Honolulu. Six years of such
Incorporation have proven to have fall
en- short of the best that has been
developed in recent years elsewhere.
AS yet, our city government is still
new and in the developing stage, and
the importance of its efficiency to the
community can scarcely be exag.
gerated, and one of the best indicas
tions in this respect is the increase
of public interest in this matter that
has been manifested soamuch of late.
The proper development OF our city
government is question of the people
who are the parties in interest, as dis
tinguished from the officers and par
ticularly those who happen to be in
office for the time being. The ques.
tion is entirely between the city gov
eminent and those whose servants
they are. and the people should in
their own interests insist on the best.
This is in line with the policy of popu-
lar government. which is measured by
the control that the people have over
the officers thereof. A government is
not truly government by the people
except in so far as it is responsive
and responsible to the people. IN or.
der to secure that in the largest meas
ure in our city government, the Off
GERS who are elected by the people,
more particularly the board of super.
visors and the presiding officer there
of, must determine policies, and let
them appoint to office those who are
to- carry out their policies, just as is
done in business corporations; other.
wise, there must be friction, lack of
coordination, and absence of complete
responsibility on the part OF any one.
Ii has seemed as If little that was
urgent had remained undone, and yet
with the beginning of the present term
of the new board of supervisors there
has appeared the usual formidable ar
ray of pressing new needs that never
cease to accumulate with the rapid
growth of our metropolis. The time
has come when, following the trend
elsewhere, a further advance should
be made in the administration of the
affairs of our city government The
last board of supervisors has set its
mark of accomplishment for the pres.
ent one to surpass, but the present
board could not want for better op-
portunity-let it but be guided solely
by patriotic resolve to serve only
the public veal ...-.-... ..@
..2 .-E ~. FINANCES -. ~
The question Of finances is one of
vital Importance in consequence of
growing needs. Our city government
cannot, any more than private enter
prise, be successfully financed on mere
wishes, good intentions or optimism.
Some business-like method is absolute
ly essential to safety, and progress. To
assume that because there was a net
balance or SS5,307.43 on December 81,
1914, there is plenty of money for all
purposes and that the only question is
how to spend it is to illustrate the,
proyerbial danger of surplus, because
It inspires extravaganza and blinds of
true facts.
The real surplus for purposes of in
creasing appropriations is the cash |
bslapce Immediately before the bulk
Of the revenues come in and not sher:- +,
~ afterwards, for the city government !
has to be maintained until the next
revenue period. Furthermore, not only !
should allowances be made for main I
tanning it from one tax-paying period !:
TO the next, but there should, If pos
sible. be. maintained a surplus as a
margin for emergency expenditures
and temporary reductions in revenues. |
Again. the real meaning of the ap-,,
parent surplus. and the possibilities of
what may safely be done with it, must !
6OntinITod m na0o fhrool