Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-07
new BUDGET CAUSE
OF MANY CRITICISMS
Fi4ance Committees Efforts mt
Economy DO Not Meet Ready
Response.
FOUR FIREMEN TO BE DROPPED
PROVISION Also Is Not Made for Va
rious Lesser Employees - Levy
Chagrined at Failure to Give More
Liberal Support to Health Work.

| As II stands. the ECONOMY" budget
presents some peculiar features which
members of the Council Finance Com
mittce Will be called on to explain to-
| morrow night, and which the Admin
istrativc Board viii consider ut a spc-
cial meeting 10 be held this afternoon
at $3.50 o'clock. The attention OF tn.
Board Of Fire Commissioners. which
meets TINS afternoon at o'clock. Will
also he occupied with I; scrutiny Of
| that part Of the budget which affects
the Fire Department.
The apprehension felt by the City
Health Department that it's work must
necessarily be limited hy the mcaScr-
ness Of the funds allotted to IL for
twelve months labor against disease
and possible epidemic can he related
| TO tn" City Council only through the
administrative Board. in whose con-
! troll tho Health Department rests
other departments and persons feel
also that they have been sighted In
the rigid economy appearing on the
face OF the budget. and In city Hall
/ circles and its many connections there
is general lament.
FIRE DEPARTMENT SAYS
FUND - INSUFFICIENT
Among the seeming discrepancies for
Instance, Is the fact that the pay roll
appropriated To the tIre Department,
provides for the salaries of only los men
IN Grade u. whereas that grade now
mas III men on its roll The budget
pay roll is ;:22. but if the force
IS TO he carried at It's present number
the pay roll should bc s225.1s344. 1t
has been generally assumed that the
Fire Department received II ) per cent
Increase in wages last year. /, was
stated yesterday that the pay roll has
not been Increased since 1919 when 4
) per cent raise was made. There was
rod inn ip I'M.
roll this year. II amounts TO s2.4i.
representing the reduction hy SIS cents
Of the pay Of three officers
There will not he pronounced or
t"r!al objection To this reduction. but
there Is question AS to what authority
the Finance Committee has in drop
ping four men from the Fire Depart;
mcnt, which viii To- the result Of the
decrease IN I'll" general pay roll. Under
the City Charter members OF the Fire
Department arc elected by the Board
OF Fire Commissioners. and they may
NOT bc discharged except for cause.
otherwise they serve during good be-
haNior and as long as they are eff
ci.nt. Then they are cared for out %
their own pension fund. II was not
announced yesterday that there are
any who have reached the ag" limit
or contemplating retiring from tho
force. And IL was not stated that any
would take tn" hint and voluntarily
retire into less dangerous and moro
lucrative business.
FOUR MEN DROPPED
AMONG STREET CLEANERS
Another department suffers in like
measure. though IL profits otherwise.
The pay roll for the street Cleaning
Department will provide for four men
less than are now on the roll. super
inteudent calder. OF parks. Fairgrounds
and cemeteries. suffers the loss OF one
man. II nurse II eliminated from the
Health Department.. ana there is no
provision Tor s,enoGraphcr in the
Fire Department.
For the construction and erection or
!, monument 10 St"newall Jackson At
the intersection Of the Boulevard and
Monument Avenue there il no provi-
sion. though year and II half ago
III. city Council adopted a resolution
npDroprlating 10000 towards that
project. I'll. appropriation this year
for the Home for Needy Confederate
Women is cut in half. the amount set
aside for this institution last year being
$500.
Though the City Charter requires
that appropriations for departments
under the control OF the Administers
tive Department shall be provided in
lump sums. the new budget itemizcs
every account To salary and expense.
The only increase is in the wages OF
aborcrs In the STRENGTHENING De-
partment, which are raised from s2.e5
10 $3.50 day.
LEVY MAY LEAVE
SERVICE OF CITY
chief Health Officer Levy is deeply
chaSrlncd, ii IS understood. that there
WAS no. 4 larger appropriation for the
Health Department. tn which he has
devoted his best effort for many years.
With the growth IF tho city tho work
Of the department has greatly in-
creased. and nr. Levy, il is sRid. feels
that in matters which vitality concern
the public health a more liberal con-
sidcration should have been shown.
Dr. Levy had also asked for an in
crease In salary, but this remains at
S3.30o. When he appeared before the
Finance Committee in behalf Of the
department the Chief Health officer
stated that lie could not continue in
the position unless an increase were
given him.