Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-14
CHARTER-CHANGERS
TACKLE BUDGET
New Section Places Rigid EN-
barge Against Contracts in
Excess of Appropriations.
CREATES EMERGENCY FUND
Amendment Limits Budget
Makers to Use Of 95 Per Cent
of Estimated Revenues.

Action on the part Of any city officer
binding the city to "A contrac, or Great
ing u debt against the city. for which
funds shall not have beer, previously
made available by appropriation. will
render such officer liable To summary
removal. if an amendment approved
last night by the Council Charter
Change Committee becomes part Of the
new municipal constitutions.
Ihis drastic provision is embodied
IN resolution which was introduced
BY Alderman Christian as part OF the
report Of a subcommittee detailed 20
recommend steps looking to the cor
rcction OF the ovcrappropri.,t:on evil.
and was adopted by Il unanimous vote.
TEXT FOR PROPOSED
AMENDMENT no CIIARTI:R
The resolution inserts in the charter
the following new section:
Before any contract for work for
any amount or any order for supplies
exceeding 500 shall be authorized bv
any board or officer Of the city Of Rich
hhohh ON behalf OF the city Of Rich
h"hd' such contract or order shall he
whose
II shall b" to state in writing, in,iors.d
on such paper. whether funds are avail
ahl. for the payment of the .xpendi
ture proposed TO be made by such CON
tract or order; and any member of any
such hoard voting TO create :; doh,
against the city OF Richmond for work
done or to be done. for II aterials fur
niShcd or TO be furnished, or for any
other municipal purpose. or any such
oHnc"r who shall make sucl contract or
draw such order. when there shall not
be money already appropriated bv the
'ouncil available to meet or pay such
debt. shall ipso facto be liable to sus-
pension or removal from office as pro-
vid"d i'll this charter"
WILL PREVENT AWARD OF
CONTRACT WITHOUT FUNDS
The new section is designed to nrc-
vent in the future the letting OF CON
tracts for which no augmentation is
aNailable-a practice which has until
this year been followed TO some extent
by the Administrative Board i'm the
matter Of street improvements, and. in
Il more limited way, by most OF the
o'hcr departments of the city
The ordinances carrying into effect
me annual budgets provide. in a sec
ton that is part OF the measure:
iha' the amounts herein shall bc
deemed 10 bc The limit Of amounts IN
be expended by amy committee, Admin
istEa;ive Board or head OF department.
respectively. except by transit au
'horiHcd by the Council. and that for
any debt created by any committee
Administrative Board or head of de-
pArtmcnt in excess of the approximation
the city OF Richmond shall he held in
no wise Responsible"
This provision has been more hon
orcd in the breach than in the OH
SefNhhce. The new provision which il
proposed TO make art of the charter
hE requiring the Auditors certification
that there is money available for /,
proposed contract or cont.mplate deht
draws the line sharply between proner
ANA improper contracts and makes
every officer voting 10 let contract
of the latter class liable 10 removal
SHARP DEBATE oNrR
MAKEUP OF BUDGET
The committee debated for more than
an hour another amendment recon-
mcndcd by the subcommittee ana
after Incorporating Il change to meet
the serious objection. ratified i. r.
provides that to section 3. :, the pres-
cnt charter describing III, ,rar .e
making up the annual budget shall he
added:
But the aggregate amount of an
preparations in the annual b,,dre,
shall not exceed 81 per cent of the
estimated receipts for the fiscal ve,r
for which such appropriation Is made
fn ha
income FOR the current fiscal year from
all sources. together with auv uucx
pended balance on han AT the end ~,
the preceding year. as REQUIRED bv nil.
section. and no other approximation
shall he made during the current nsc,,
year unless il he for the payno., %
some portion OF the city dabt or for
the repayment Of tcmporarv ,o,,
except by four-fifths vote of all ~,
the members elected TO each ,,ra oh 40
the Council"
CREATES EMERGENCY
flND OF PER CENT
The effect of this amendment is IN
provide for The creation of an c,ucr-
eency FUND Of > per cent OF the csti
mated revenues for the currei, year IN
lac used in meeting demands of an ox
'faofdiiafE character that couI. not
reasonably have been anticipate, by
the budget, the Council to be iudpo Of
the emergency. Such APPROXIMATIONS
viii require a four-ffths vote. Al
present appropriations may he md.
by the Council between budgets bv -
twO-thirds vote.
ON this amendment occurred thc
sharpest debate of the evening A.
originally presented it provided that
the Auditors statement of tho csti
mated revenues shall be accented bv
the Council as final. Citizen Member
Bcmiss favored the retention or this
provision with the added condition that
the Auditors estimate should he sub
ject to revision by the Council nv n
four tifths vote
Leon Wallcrstcin supported the
original report Of the committee. be-
lievinS that the Auditor. by virtue OF
his special knowledge of the city.s
sources OF income, is the safest ,u