The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-29
Three Departments Run ming Ahead of Amount
 Appropriated
WARD AND HORNADY
 ARE ON SAFE SIDE
Commissioners Worried, as They See No Remedy for Situation-State Law Against Municipalities Exceeding Their Budget

Birmingham IS eXceeulIS US pu"6cA' It has spent s14542.49 in excess of the amount allotted for the first five months of the fiscal year. Furthermore IL seems that there is no escape from future ex- cesses This despite the fact that Ala bama statutes make 1t a violation or th@' law for city officials to exceed their bud get.
 To curb these practices and 10 deter mine where economies might be Iiaoe' the commission met yesterday afternoon and talked over the financial matters Two of the departments, those or gen eral administration and health ana eau cation, have spent thus far less than tne budget provides, but the other three oe- partments have gone beyond their allow ances.
 The department of pubic safety and the department of public improvements have been the worst offenders, In five months the net excess of the former has been $7,2OS.37, while the department of public improvements has spent $5,Sl2.S0 more than was originally appropriated for the work.
 The department of public utilities has exceeded it's budget by s2T64.99. There seems to be little hope for cut ting down expenses. While the depart ment of health and sanitation showed a met loss" of $709.47, it's expenses will in- crease during the approaching summer. This surplus whic his accruing, will be needed for that period, according to Commissioner J. R. Hornady. The sums appropriated monthly for the uses of the various departments are ap- prCximately:
 AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED | General administration. $10, ,400; public l., .,.l utilities $720O; public safety, s39. 500; health and education, $3300. | The department of public safety in- cludes the police and fire depa rtments. Therefore it is given the largest appro- | priation.
 | J. D. Truss, commissioner of public inn provements, attributes the excess of his | department to the construction of | bridges. Since he assumed office, he has 1 insisted that permanent bridges instead | of temporary structures, be built Twelve
 have been constructed. The roads of Bir-
 mingham require incessant attention, and | he asserts that the sum now appf opriate6 1 is not adequate.
 | While the commissioners have eX- 1 ceeded their budgets for the first five months. it was stated last night that l they would live within the figures soI | the entire year. meeting will be
 held later this week to determine what economies are to be made.
 l The comptrollers report for February shows the latest excesses. It follows: Expen- EXpen- 1 ditures ditures l more than less thar Budget Budget 1 Department of general l administration. Finances | and accounts ............$ 442.44 i Department of public inn
 provements ........ 67Z0 | Department of public | property and public util-
 ities .................. 755.22 Department of public
 safety .................... 217265 | Totals ............$ $3370. .31 5000 B l The comptroller's statement for the past l five months shows how frequently thu 1 budget has been exceeded.
 DEPARTMENTS IN EXCESS
 Department of general administration | Finances and accounts Expenditures | More Less | than than
 Budget. Budget. Budget 1