Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-15

prnf Drrcn {. Hormell OF Bowdoin
G eee presented a most important pa
pff saturday evening in connection
s'N the report OF the Commission on
~ righteousness His subject was
APPLICATION Of the Budget System
nfr ana Community Finances"
l. placed before the conference "A
r .' comprehensive program for pro-
.n ~ community DEVELOPMENT
H those lines. tits description of the
o.. 80 90 present town methods was
n... convincing The greater portion
7' d.. paper follows.
majority 10 the Maine towns stu
$751;. 'h,.r annual appropriations In the
o. un.U htphazard manner. The
u thc town meeting have to
fIrm in voting appropriations
except the unrelated and n
..1 nrrries In the warrant. ana
f. n,rDol items OF similar character
+. I.. ntmnl report. The needs OF the
.l UD' considered tG a whole:
.r. flp7 considered i'm relation TO
...Ilhl" revenue The value Of
.. .u,i'y ls not weighed against
II 90 another Many Of the articles.
rr fnr large expenditures. are in
u.rl hy rrivate dillduals who
1900 comprehensive Knowledge OF
.,.HH ~ ma town. II f. not un-
won for ME articles near tho top OF
warrant 10 receive unuuestloned
Intnp1i white equally important ar
N...e accidentally coming near the
.-I ~ The warrant. are summarily dis
.rd. after some watch dog of the
uty" with pencil and paper In
I announces TINT the town has al
'y appropriated moro than the US
amount Wtilc tho cities in most
fnncoa p'lll cling ~ NJ" hit or mss"
s'rod ~ aprroprnN0s money-a
...Nni ~ "rucss work md log roll
in IN" council
OIr proeent day pr GRIM Of social
rnent cannot o." carried rut with
topcicsslv mortractng the future,
...tea tho inefficient method OF appro-
U ting money give place 80 nm lp-to-
H.'o system 81 budget maxine.
system Of Budget Making.
Tho chief ond In Wow is to es-
Nntte correctly the available revenue
.ni distribute II among the se,eral
"|'.NIiI"H tN Nv W hfNNihflA'A N'i'
H'ost good fpr the community.
rs IY whom should the budget he
riwu up'
Bon towns tho duty ~ preparin :
" Uet ~ appropriations should lie
.ersd iu the hands Of committee II
"lc spirited citizens.-fpr example,
Io committee Of Twelve In Bruns-
viclo
E Inv the city. experience shows
lNat tho budget items can he drawn
Np efficiently. C hy board ~ com
mission chosen especially for that pur-
raae for example. tho "Noard ~ Fs-
trafe md AUportlonment" in New
Work. city. and tho Finance Commits
son" I'm Norwood. Mass. t2) by the
N.vor. as ln most 81 tho Massa chusetts
elites. whore The council may reduce or
omit nut may not insert or increase
item in the budget presented 10y
tNa MAYOR
1l r~cntl,l steps IN budget
u..inF
.N The onclais entrusted with
drawing ~ the budget should bring
together Tor their guidance and con-
Iteration tho following data:
~ s balance sheet showing the
-vnct condition Of the town-what the
town owes and what are its available
rssources
"2 70 summarized and lassified
settlement ~ the financial transactions
~ the previous year Cor years) show
inR tho total revenue classified accord
i0a ~ sources and the total expendi-
t1rcs classified according TO objects
Examples ~ what such a statement
should We may be found I'm rhe 'eis re-
por, ~ tho town Of Eden (Bar Harbor)
Maine ana IN tho last annual reports OF
tho clti"s ~ Bangor and Portland.
Estimates by several town OF
city officers setting forth I'm detail the
needs of the several officers and de-
partments Tor the ensuing year The
estimates show In detail the objects
of The proposed expenditures. Compar-
isons are made with the previous year
or years, decreases and increases are
explained. and reasons are given for
proposed now work. II II extremely
important that the items be drawn UT
in detail according 20 uniform class
0cation 80 that they may he readily
compared with the Items OF previous
years
y Financial articles. IN towns
placed IN tho warrant Nv private In.
dividuals. Such articles should he con.
Hidered IN their relation 20 the rnancia
rrngram as whole.
N A public hearing for the con
Iteration ~ thc ofhcial estimates end
'he requests Of private citizens from
every section ~ the town or city MAY
POI" beard public opinion may he as
cer'ained and the public may be In
'uenccd 10 give more favorable re-
'rntlon 10 tho fnal report Of the com
Wii'ce. Whenever possible the COM
I'"'e report and recommendations
mould hc published before the final
adnption Adequate publicity Is thus
combined with expert advice. both OF
which are necessary for successful pop
0lar government
" In n town. the final repor,
with tho recommendations OF the CO.
mlttee should be printed and distribute