Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-15
CITY TREASURER REPLIES
TO CHAMBER COMMERCE

To the Watervil!e Chamber OF Com
merCe,
Gentlemen:
1t has not been my desire or inten-
ton to enter into any discussion or
controversy with YOU pertaining to
any matter and my letter published
Jan. II was written only with de-
sire to correct the erroneous impress
sions conveyed by your statement Of
the Indebtedness Of the city published
as a part Of your report in the press
of Jan. 1Uth.I want to thank you for
your invitation to prepare statement
in order that the voters of the city
may have complete information re-
earding the city's present financial
condition" would be glad to assist
you in any way but would suggest
that we have a city auditor who at
the usual time. after the close of the
financial year, on Jan. S1st. will pre-
pare and submit a statement which
Il have no doubt viii! contain the de-
sired information.
Your letter published this morning
states, We simply quoted the figures
given in the city's yearly reports for
the last six years, to show how. ire
spective Of party, our debt has grad
ually increased" If you really wanted
. statement Of the debt increase why
not have taken the auditors report
each year Of the net debt of the city?
These figures would at least have
shown !; measure OF fairness in COM
parison. Leon O. Tebbetts states in
his letter you asked him to prepare
Il statement Of the interest bearing
Indebtedness during the term OF years
and he mas published q copy Of his
report 20 YOU. Mr.. Tebbetts evidently
did exactly what he was asked TO do
ard ! have no criticism to make of
his report to You. But why ask him
TO Include only what particular form
Of Indebtedness? Is not the Treas
urer's Account Overdrawn" on Feb
j. 1918. part of the city's Indebted
ness just as much As II i, was in
the form Of notes or bonds?
My objection. which submit to any
fair-ninded person is we'll taken, is
that the statement OF the city's in
uebtedness as published III Your re-
port is misleading. Your report as
published in the press. Jan. 10. gives
;hc Indebtedness" of the city Feb. l.
1877. as $o26.000 and on Feb. /. 1918,
as $4,000. an apparent reduction OF
100000. do not believe that any man
on your committee or in your organ
ization believes there was a reduction
Of $4,000 in the city's debt last year.
The city auditors report only admits
reduction OF s9953l1 in The net
debt. Your report published Jan. 10th
shows an increase in Indebtedness
between Feb. !. 1914. and Feb. /.
1915, u $4,000, but the city auditors
report Of the same year admits an
increase OF s29,i5o.-l in the net debt
II the CITY. if the form and figures
used IN Your statement published Jan.
! 10th. were not designated to helm ou.
the financial showing OF the admins
Tations - Mayors billiard and
Header and injure those oc Mayors
Bartlett and Wardwell Immediately
following. they certainly accomplish
that result If accepted without ex-
p,anition.
lou appear to objec: to the consiG-
tlation Of any assets of the city. You
regard rs amusing, that unpaid tax
eS u former collectors and tax titles
should have any place in the .i,y's
assets. but if 50. you should be high
l. sratifiod that the city has received
ever $1,000 from these sources during
the past 10 months. quite nice little
present from assets that are only
amusing"
1t is not NY intention at this time
TO command or condemn any pro-
posed change in cur city charter. Tn
Ill this matter is given some definite
shape | do not see where there is
anything for anyone to advocate or
oppose. AS | stated in my previous
letter l sincerely hope that when you
present Il new form OF city charter it
viii be in such form as to merit the
endorsement OF all good citizens re-
CARELESS OF party affiliations
=. y. ANNIS.
City Treasurer.
Waterviile. Maine. Jan. u, 1919