The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-12

amount OF money raised by levy Tor
city purposes and that the $50. 165.82.
which he adds to this. was not raised
by taxation, but was the total receipts
from police court fines, sale of dirt,
and all other sources except taxes, and
II he uses this as q basis for his per-
centage figures, he should IN fairness
add the amount received from these.
same sources to the amounts raised
by taxation during each of the ten
years shown in my table. He should
also add to the total amount raised by
levy in each Of the five years Of the
council government. the total amount
OF money raised from bond issues,
then his percentage comparison would
be equitable, for that would give the
total funds available for each of the
Then the captain criticises me for
giving the total expense of the fire
department while I show only the
salaries of the police and street de-
the salaries Of the fire department.
but when the figures came to me, they
showed the total expenditures, and I
did not take the time to separate
them. The salaries are the main
items and were given in order to show
the gradual increase during the last
five years of council government, and
the big increase at the time the coun-
Gil raised all salaries just before COM
mission government took effect.
Next the captain says, in referring
to the matters just mentioned. He
dare not tell it all.'' If he will refer
to my table under the head total tax
collections for city purposes" he will
find every dollar raised by taxation
during the past ten years. This in
cludes every city department, salaries
and all. so what is 1t have not
dared to te1l?"
have sought to show the amount of
tax collected by school, county and
state. did this to bear out my state
ment that commission government is
not responsible for increased expendi-
lures and that It, is costing more to
year. whether 1t be private or public
business, and my table shows the in
pcreases in school, county and state to
be. in some instances IN excess of the
ment. He asks me then if do not
know that the last two state cam
paigns were fought for q reduction of
public expenditures. Yes, do know
that in every election. some candidate
runs on a tax reduction platform, but
am waiting to see the man who can
make good that promise and not do so
at the cost Of efficiency and public
improvement.
repeat here (for the captains
former article. s'city employees from
mayor down are too poorly paid"
This from mayor down. includes the
commissioners, of which I am one,
drawing $500 per year. have
served five years without complaint
as to salary, and were I a candidate
for reelection. I would not have in
cluded the mayor and commissioners
in my former statement. Not being
candidate, however, I feel at perfect
liberty to express myself on this mat
ter. In my judgment, and believe
every fair minded person in Topeka
will agree with me. the mayor of this
city should receive not less than 50, 900
per year and the commissioners not
less than $4,000 each, and the terms
Of office should be four years. hope
this answers his question.
The captain says more than 6, 900
petitioners think the work of the old
council at $4,000 per year much bet
ter than the commission at $1,000 per
year. gather from reports at the
election commissioners office, where
the names of these petitioners are be-
capfainE 200 belfsioHef ~ h q ae
even taken sufficient interest in their
government to register and vote,
much less take the time to form an
intelligent idea as to which particular
form 81 government is best. The
heavy taxpayers, the men who are in
terested in Topeka's future, growth,
and welfare, are in the minority on
your petitions, captain. and a signifi-
cant fact that should cause every law
abiding citizen of Topeka to pause and