Evening journal., 1918-06-07
PROTEST Slash IN
1918 APPROPRIATIONS
Street Department Says
Council Made Cut Through
a misunderstanding
LITTLE MONEY NEXT
YEAR FOR WORK

Directors OF the Street and Sewer
Department In a letter 70 City Council
last night, protested against the reduc-
Won OF their appropriation for the
toming fiscal year. Each Council
man received a copy OF the pro-
test prior TO the meeting. and after II
had been read. II was referred 10 the
nnance committee without comment.
The directors say that when Council
made up the budget the members were
confused In the chapters Of the recent
sbutting paving act. and had figured
on the department receiving money
from the paving act, which would not
be available. The letter follows:
June 3, 1918.
Honorable President and Members OF
The Council Wilmington. Delaware.
Gentlemen: We undersigned.
through the public press. not having
had any official advice. that your hon
prable body has set mp in your budget
for the year beginning July 4. 1918, an
appropriation 10 this department IN
he sum Of sisi,i75.O0 and that you
contemplated that an additional amount
equivalent to $4,000 will be available
from the assessment against property
for existing street paving OF course,
you know that under the law, any por-
tion Of this s6O,Oo0 which may be re-
celved by the Street and Sewer De
partment can be used for no other pur-
pose than the improving Of paving as
ilied at the end Of section 4. chapter
i2i. vol. %, Laws Of Delaware, an act
providing for assessment against abut-
ting properties In the city Of Whining
ton in proportion TO the special bene-
NJ the present improved street road
way will have TO said properties
In a conference with the chairman
Of your finance committee we gathered
the information that an opinion had
been asked from the city solicitor
relative 90 the return Of certain
moneys. and that Mr. Robertson had
been Informed that the department had
previously asked the city solicitor for
this same opinion. Such Is not the
ease, but upon referring TO Mr.. Bsyard
Tor a copy Of this opinion, we find that
he rendered same on Chapter i22, Vol.
20. Laws Of Delaware, which Is an Act
providing for assessment against abut-
ting properties in the city Of VIII
mington for a portion Of the cost OF
paving and improving the public street
roadways, an Act which can In no way
fgure in our appropriation for the
coming year because streets must be.
paved. the tax liened levied and raised
before than can be any moneys arls-
ing from this source As your body
has given us specifically TO understand
that no bonds will be sold during TINS
year for street paving purposes, there
necessarily can be no return OF any
Kind to this department under Chapter
i22. consequently II is negligible. You
have apparently confused Chapters
l2i and i22
"Our estimated expenditures for re-
pairs to improved and unimproved
streets for the current year viii be
approximately $4,000, and II we in
.erpret the law correctly (and the
natter Is now in the hands OF the city
solicitor for his opinionl no portion n
the amount hereafter received by this
department from the moneys accruing
from the assessment against existing
pavements can be used other than for
the improving OF paving in the city
Of Wilmington therefore, this net ap-
preparation Of sisii75. must take care
OF every branch OF the work Of this
department covered by our annual ap-
propriation. exclusive Of the 'improv
Ing Of paving, which means that we
have been allotted an appropriation
for the ensuing year in these abnormal
times, s30S25 less than for the cur