Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-05-26
A MATTER OF CONTEMPLATION

Gratifying. indeed, is the statement concerning the chys fnan-
cal condition as presented by City Treasurer Garretson in a letter to
the editor of the EVENING NEWS and which, through his permits
y6iep, was published Saturday. Perth Amboy has reason to feel PROUD
fg the situation as set forth.
While the city treasurer gives credit to the present collector of
revenue and while no doubt such praise is well merited, the present
collector, Ellsworth B. Walker, having rendered efficient service, not a
little credit is due to the sinking fund commission, which is attending
to the amortization requirements and of which Mayor Dorsey was
one of the original members. The awful condition of the chy's sink
ing fund became known at the time this sinking fund commission was
appointed. The city was piing up debt without making provisions
for paying off the bonds when they came due. Naturally, the day
of reckoning would come some time. The law requiring the appoint
ment of a sinking fund commission forced the issue and for the past
two or three years one of the largest items in the city budget has been
for money to go into the sinking fund that should have been put in
gradually, year by year, after the bonds were issued.
Mr.. Garretson assures us that this heavy item in the budget is
about to be eliminated. In other words, the city has about caught up
and hereafter the amount of money paid into the sinking fund year
by year win be only in accordance with the bond issue.
The city treasurer says he believes that a foundation has been
laid for a lower tax rate. Knowing the conservatism of the city treas
urer and with the confidence that the people of the city have in him,
such a statement is cheering, indeed.
But with this authoritative assurance that the city is not any nearer
the debt limit than it was a few years ago, in fact, that the debt is be-
ing reduced, we are still of the opinion that Mayor Dorsey is right in
calling a halt on further street paving for this year. There are other
things to be co~nsidered-projects that will strain every resource that
the city has to carry through, but which, when completed, will make
Perth Amboy a city of vast Importance in the industrial and COM
mercial line.
The first requirement is to secure a city plan. We want to know
what we are doing and be assured that it is for the best interest of the
city in the long run. Vast improvements are being forced upon us
whether we want them. or not, but of course we want all the improve
ments we can get. The city, therefore, must be ready to do its part in
the development. II will need plenty of leeway as far as the debt
limit is concerned and it viii require farseeing men to handle the af
fairs of the city to see the work through.
With a few thousand dollars spent on a city plan we will be able
to go about these things intenigenty; plan our harbor development
our street ear service, our civic centers, our residential section and
our parks and places of recreation. With a city plan laying out all
these projects in a most intelligent way, the aldermen can proceed
and actually do something worth while for Perth Amboy. Then, in
deed, will there be a great satisfaction that the city has not nearly
reached the debt limit.
Mayor Dorsey and the aldermen have a great opportunity to dc a
lasting work for the city in naming a city plan commission and CIV
ing it a few thousand dollars to begin work. 1t will be along the line
of the successful work by the water department. With such a COM
mission officially recognized and able to at least make a start in the
matter of city plan, the values of the work will be so apparent that
there will be no heitancy in following it through to its logical con-
elusion, which viii be a complete city plan, just as the water board
followed through its project and now possesses a plan for the water
system that viii be adequate for the city for the next twenty-five or
fifty year.
The situation is a matter of congratulations all around. Now
lets take advantage Of it and do something really big for Perth
Amboy.