The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-03-07
FINANCE COMMITTEE
MAY RECONSIDER BUDGET
Special Meeting Called For This After
noon To Look Over Document
Before 1t Goes to Council.
FOUR FTI,EMEN DROPPE
DIR. Levy's Department suffers and
Streets appropriations Are shorter
Than Expcctcd-Teachcrs Protest
Against Being Ignored.

called meeting OF the finance
committee will be held at o'clock
this afternoon for final report on
the budget before it is presented to
the council for approval Thursday
night. Gloom spread over the City
Hall when the contents OF the APP
preparations document were made
known. but in spite Of the fact that
very little will be done in the way
of improvements during the year,
only few changes will be made in
the positions Of city employees.
This afternoon. in all probability,
a number of persons will appear be-
fore the committee, to ask that they
reconsider certain items laid down IN
the budget ordinance. Certain II Is
that some change will be made IN
the reported fire department. pro-
visions which have dropped four men
from the force. According to charter
stipulations. the board. OF nre com
missioners has the right 10 appoint
firemen to serve during life. or good
behavior. and in the budget as pre-
pared only l0s grade Il men are pro-
yided for. while the number register
ed by the board with the committee
is 1la Fire authorities stated yes
terday. however, that this had been
an unintentional error on the part of
the committee and would he corrected.
The department has not enough men
To, do the required work as II Is. they
declare.
Health Department Loses Nurse.
According To the report one nurse
in the health department is eHni-
mated. and no additional salaries are
fixed in that department. II is un-
derstood that Or. Levy has declared
his department cannot he adequately
maintained with the appropriation
granted In the budget. which is
thought to lie too small 20 safeguard
tn. health of community AS large
as Richmond has grown especially
since health supervision now extends
10 the large annexed territory.
Superintendent Cobn. OF the street
cleaning department. stated yesterday
th,t fnur lahorprs would have TO I've
dropped from his pay roll on account
of limited funds. one man must also
re tf44.--f.f---s4 ttna4- the -dspAttmthl ot
parks Fairgrounds and cemeteries
An appropriation is made for extra
labor nj the city gas works but il
IS t0DNknt pEDifdblt- ih 49, SA'N 'H'N
put continues to increase as ii has
done. the extra money will he used
for overtime and vacations for men
in that department will he scarce.
\ s,enogrs pher in the office OF the
fre commissioners has not been pro-
vtded for. and the position Will be
polished Her salary has formerly
been derived from the expense &C
count OF the department. but in the
new budget is provision that no
salaries ar wages shall lie paid from
expense accounts. l.. s. Jones. sec
rptarv Of the fire department. along
with Chief Ratio and Chief Wise. has
suffered a reduction Of "ishty-eight
cents a year In salary.
Complaints Prom Schools.
Complaints have begun TO come
from the public schools. II Is pointed
oat that while day iaborers have had
their wages Increased the poorly paid
teachers in the school system, whose
salaries in numerous cases are lower
than the wages OF laborers have not
been provided for. II IL thought also
that the appropriation will fall short
OF the needs by $4,000. due Ia the
additions to the force by the new
Fulton school and other institutions
The total amount set aside for
SifetS @eff"i1ttH az - WV an" ~
Engineer Boiling states that this
amount could well he spent 10 adj
vantage in any of a number of sec
lions of the city. Consequently. prac-
tically no new improvements will lac
made IN this department Relief can
be secured. however in case the bud
get falls short of dematds, through
the resolution presented to the coun-
Gil Monday night, authorizing The
committee to negotiate $3.50. hoG in.
loans in such Instaliments as are
needed during the year