Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-08
SEE BIG ADVANCE
in CITY EXPENSES
Department Heads De.
mands Will Total $50.
100000 for Next Year
WAR CALLED ONE CAUSE
Advance to Be Sought is SIS,
100000 Over Five Years
Ago

maintenance Of the city during 1919
VIII cost nearly $4,000, 600 II demands
now being framed by department heads
are allowed by Councils The vast in
crease Is best shown by the fact that
IN" city spent s32 ,61O.s66 in 1914 and
had available S33.5O6.54074 in 1918.
Ihese were typical years Of the Blank
enburg administration.
Jumps of several million dollars have
oeen OF yearly occurrence until the
grand total has reached a point never
dreamed of by former municipal finan-
ciers. The total appropriations for 1917
were S3s.933. .0s513. while this year s4s,-
'9l'17l.27 was originally asked and the
grand total allowed IS about $4,000
wv with the prospect of good
sized deficit unless unexpected revenue
turn up to cut the debit column.
war emergency prices and the labor
situation have been offered as explana-
tion Of the jump that carries cost of
maintenance S15,00O,0O0 in excess of five
years ago, although the very conditions
complained of have resulted in savings
IN number of payrolls where, be-
cause or the many men quitting to enter
the war, 1t has been impossible to keep
ftrces up to full capacity
An extra S1.00O,O00 will be needed in
1913 to provide in some measure for the
increased wage items contemplated and
the sum is likely to be much larger II all
the increase asked by department heads
in their requests are to be allowed Other
Increases anticipated include another
jump in tho cost of street cleaning and
kindred work. This year the Bureau of
street Cleaning is expending nearly
S35OO.000, the major portion of which
goes to contractors. Some saving In
garbage ro1lpctnrq 10 Ra
work is given to An outside contracting
concern which promises to do the work
for $4,000 less than the price being
paid the Penn Reduction Company this
year.
Director Datesman, of the Department
| of Public Works. last year asked for
S10.156,329.94. while Director Wilson,
of the Department of Public Safety.
made a demand for s1O,5SO.1S6.25. Both
say that in 1919 they will have to pro-
| vide for unexpected expenses incident
| to the war, and in the case OF the De-
partment of Public Safety provisions
will have to be made for an augmented
fire force and for increases in both the
Bureaus of Fire and Police.
Heads of all bureaus and departments
are spending this month in making up
their estimates, and these will be placed
before the Finance Committee of Coun-
ellis in September. Revenues from the
present tax rate and from all other
sources are estimated to approximate
between S46, ,O0O, 900 and SAT 900. 900, and
the exact figures will be given to Coun-
ellis by Controller Walton, so that the
present tax rate may be continued or a
higher one fixed on or before December
!.
Having twice increased the city's lax
| rate on realty during his short admin.
| istration, Mayor Smith is very eager not
! to have to resort to this measure a
third time. In the event of the present
high rates being allowed to stand. coun'
| Cilmanic financiers may have to turr
some sharp corners to meet the demands
of political patronage seekers and con
| tractors.
Along with the annual budget consid
! GRAFTON may come an effort to secure
| loan funds for war emergencies" il
! being argued that as the Federal Gov
ernment is making longterm loans tc
| cover its emergency, the city should bt
| permitted the same kind Of financiering
| The one important and imperative de
mand for money comes from the Bureau
| of Wafer, as the present system is ad
| mittedly inadequate to meet continu
| ously the heavy demands that are ever
now daily made upon it. From $4,000,
| 600 to $l2,00O,O00 is needed to make thu
extensions and install new machinery
necessary to make the system adequate
| for years to come
In addition to this, 1t is planned tc
provide, from loan funds, for all i'm.
provements made by the city to expe
| dite war work and for sustenance anC
relief of dependents of soldiers and sail
| ors Such a move might be counted
! upon to relieve the current expense item
| of a part of its burden.
No matter what final disposition Is
made of war emergency expenses. tht
| current operating expenses of a number
| of departments are certain 10 exceed
those of the present year. Especially
| is this the case with the Department
| of Supplies, AS the amount provided thi'
year is proving at least sl,0O0,O0O below
The actual cost of operation. Director
! MacI.aughlin will find 1t necessary tC
ask Councils for more than 100000 fol
supplies during the latter part of th'
present year He already has received
| several hundred thousand dollars in ad
ditionaL appropriations. This money wa:
spent principally for coal
| The task Of pairing" demands will b.
| taken UP last next month or early IL
| October and weekly meetings of Coun
ellis Finance Committee will be held will
! the view of keeping expenditures some
where uear income.