The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-01-12
D. [. ConkIing Goes To Bat In
Behalf Of Present Board
= Of Supervisors
coNTRADlCTS STATEMENT r.
MADE BY McCANDLESS
Explains Difficulties Under Which
Municipal Officials Are Now
Making Both Ends Meet

The supervisors of the City and
County of Honolulu do not have all the
city and county tax money to spend,
common belief 20 the contrary. A state
ment made by l.. l.. McCandless the
other day to the effect that the present
board of supervisors had had nearly a
million dollars more to spend than any
previous board, made the city treasurer,
A.. UonKhng. sit up, rs all the money
that is spent has to 90 through his
hands and he is still wondering how an
extra million or thereabouts got
through without being counted. This
set him to work TO see just how much
more the present board has had than its
predecessors in office, and he has un-
eaTthed some very interesting facts.
Since 1912 inclusive there has been.
collected in taxes from all sources in
this county the vast sum of $9,239,-
050.50. OF this, in the five years last
passed the municipality has had $3,16S,-
29S.S5 or forty per cent the Territory
taking $5,470,751.65 or sixty per cent.
OF the above collection to the county,
the legislature has alienated by placing
IL in special funds, not Including road
funds the sum of $309,472.36 or more
than ten per cent. This money is for
the schools and may be spent only as
provided by act of the Legislature and
for cash basis purposes,
Conkling Suggests Canton.
"Mr. McCandless says that the pre-
sent supervisors have had some $780,
900 more to spend than any other
board because the taxes have been
raised that much, and so of course there
was no one else to blame the spending
on but the city dads" said the city
treasurer yesterday, "but in common
With all the people who talk for poll
tical purposes and make their argument
rs strong as possible, he should look in
to the facts n little or possibly he may
be tripped up"
The supervisors in 1912 had a gross
amount of $3.50, S05.S7, to spend. The
present board has had in the past year
the sum of 1896, 397.St, less $4,000
for cash basis and school funds or
about $4,000 for all purposes. This
is only 100000 more than was receiv-
ed by the city in 1912
"When the previous Democratic
board left office it left approximately
$4,000 in the cash basis fund. which
on the last day ofslast year had in
creased to S157, 900.
"The great barrel from which the
general upkeep of the municipality is
provided is the general fund, and it
realized net $494 ,20329 from last
years taxes, as against $439, 4S3.30,
which the board in 1912 had to work
with, or difference of about $54, 900,
Including 1912, the money received
FROM the taxes in the general fund in
the last five years has been; 1912,
$439,4S3.30; 1913, $445,5S3y49; 1914,
1891 ,l40.S5; 1915, $453,530.7S; 1916,
$494 ,203.29. This makes a grand total
of $2,224,2l174, or an average of $445,.
10000 year. The average for the five
years has been 33,659.77, while the
Territory has received an average of
$1,094, 1901 as it's share
'"On account of the large amounts
which the Territory receives from the
taxes, over and above the appropria
'tiOns made for it's needs by. the legisla-
ture, there is always a tremendous bal
ance in the territorial treasury at the
end of prosperous year. while the city
with many added responsibilities and
many of the functions formerly falling
to the lot of the territory to perform
and pay for, ends the year with de-
felt.
"With the tax rate automatically TO.
dueed for the coming year, the pres.
ent board and its successors will have
hard row to hoe to get through the
year without cutting the work to n
minimum, or giving up some of its lux
uries like the band, the fire depart.
ment, the police, the parks and possibly
the official automobiles.
"The budget as passed by the board
for the three months is already over
the minimum amount that may be rea-
sOnably expected during that period,
taking into consideration the debt at
the end of the year. Unless the
assessed value of the real and personal
property of this municipality goes
over one hundred millions, the last
three months of the present board will
find the city treasury like the cupboard
# old Mother Hubbard, if the appro.
priations made are actually expended.
what | have stated is not in crit.
icism of the supervisors, but is an en-.
deavor to put before the thinking pub
lie and Mr.. McCandless the need of
a readjustment of the taxes collected
between the territory and the mum,
eipalities in the coming legislature,
Under the present arrangement the
city never knows with certainty, what
its income will be for the coming year,
1t should be so arranged that the city
could be permitted to fix the needs for
the year by budget, and then depend
ON the tax assessor to get the, money
for IT. In a good year the taxes will
be plentiful, and the city may have
nearly all IT needs; In poor year the
returns from the taxes may fall off
greatly. ...
The functions to be performed by a
growing city remain just the same If
times are good or bad aud to 60 ahead,
Honolulu must have sufficient money.
Honolulu has outgrown its swaddling
clothes and needs long pants and a
coat These things all cost money and
must be nnid for.D