Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-14
I MORE ON CONTROVERSY
Between CITY TREASURER
AND CHAMBER COMMERCE

open letter TO Mr. Sanger Annis.
City Treasurer of Waterville. Me.
Replying to your recent communi-
cation published in these columns.
in which YOU criticised certain
part OF our report as being incorrect
end grossly misleading permit us TO
say
First: this Committee refuses %
enter into any public discussions up
on Partisan affairs. This Committee
is not interested in the success or
failure Of either political party, as It
party. and we endeayored to submit
n report entirely free from PARTISAN
ship and We regret that the City
Treasurer should take opportunity
10 emphasize party politics as he did
in li:; statement.
The Directors Of the Chamber OF
Commerce lave "","l Upon ,he re-
concentrations of this Committee.
and have appointed Charter Com
nittee composed of leading citizens
nito represent all tie different in
forests of the City, and it will he
the purpose "f this Commute" 10
construct n tharte. which will iIt
,olvr changes III our present form Of
Government 10 give us modern meth
DDS of conducting the City's affairs
The Com.nittee Will also endeaVor
To create a Charter which will take
City affairs out OF politics. and have
city officials hired upon Il basis Of
efficiency rather than political af-
tiliation. The personnel of the new
Charter Committee will bc announced
shortly
This committee. after organizing,
:ppoint,.i certain members of the
Committee - look into the different
branches q our City Government
and report. These reports We're made
on the Sanitary conditions. Poor de-
Dartmen1. and Outstanding notes
and Bonded Indebtedness of the city.
and We're submitted without refer
cnCe to any administration.
Il is amusing to note in YOUR re-
ply regarding the City's assets
that YOU have taken credit for all
of the City's tax titles since Water
vile became city and several
amounts due from former TAX COL
!ectors and uncollected taxes for the
past ten wears together with the
LIQUOR agency fund and the over
drafts on Common School account.
but have overlooked the fact that the
City has other assets. such as the
City Hall. Central Fire Station,
school Buildings together with all
other City property, so if you hal
taken into consideration all Of the
City's assets instead Of part of them,
YOU could have shown in your COM
nunication that the City was entire
~ free from debt.
AS To- that part OF our report which
was criticized by YOU il was not our
intention TO attempt any analysis If
the city's debt. We simply quoted the
figures given in the city'S yearly re-
ports for the last six years. to show
how irrespective of party our debt
has gradually increased. and we re-
state that on February LIST 1914. the
interest bearing Indebtedness of tho
City was $4,000 and on December
LIST. 1918. it was s521 900 which shows
nearly S1o0.00o increase in q little
less than six years.
As to our debt limit. the amount
published in our report vas taken
from the last city report. Your fig
,res are evidently based on Increased
valuation taken this year. You have
suggested in your report that the
Chamber of Commerce is trying to
deceive the people as TO the financial
condition of our city.
In order that the voters of the city
may have complete information re
garding the city's present financial
condition we suggest that YOU pub
!ish in this paper a complete state
ment OF the overdrafts appearing al
This time. also an analysis Of the as
sets which YOU suggest we omitted
and which YOU claim would reduce
cur present Indebtedness.
Respectively submitted.
HARRY s. BROWN.
GEORGE f. NOSE.
CARL c. JONES