Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-04-26

SAVING THE TAXPAYERS MONEY

Mavor Dorsey promises the taxpayers that he will not approve
the expenditure of a cent of money by the city that is not absolutely
essential. This is the kind of talk the people like to hear. The mayor
is living up to his reputation of being a business mayor. With a tax
rate of 1896 on 800 it is time for a little plain speaking IN the hand
ling of public funds.
The plan to buy a motor truck for Protection Hook and Ladder
involving the unnecessary expenditure Of from five to seven thousand
dollars has been knocked in the head, and the scheme to spend an
other thousand dollars for a new touring car for the police department
is also dead. Upon investigation the mayor found that all that is the
matter with the present automobile now owned by the police depart
menti is the tires m worn out. Who yer heard of buying a new auto
mobile in order to get a new set of tiresH OF course, the machine docs
not look so stylish, but with a tax rate of 1886 on 800 style doesn't
cut much figure as far as the taxpayers are concerned. 4
As for the street sprinklers, about which so much has been heard
it is found that it is absolutely necessary to have new sprinklers if the
city streets are to be watered this summer. The old sprinklers were
patched up last year in order to make them last through the season.
They are declared to be beyond repair this spring.
Health and comfort demands that the streets be sprinked during
the summer months. If new sprinkers are to be bought every care.
should be taken to see that the city gets full value for the money ex-
pended.
The EVENING NEWS believes that it expresses the sentiment
of the great majority of the taxpayers in declaring that it makes no
difference from whom the apparatus is bought nor what company
makes the machine as long as it gives satisfactory service and is not a
constant source of expense to keep in order. Therefore, when atten-
ton lis called to some rather unusual figures, no matter by whom they
are placed before the public, they deserve consideration.
In a letter published in another column today some figures are
quoted which are declared to have been taken from the letters in which
the bids for the different apparatus were submitted to the Board of
Aldermen RAISING over the price asked for the tank, the chassis, the
wagon body and other features that must be carefully investigated
tefore one can judge the merits of the respective makes and bids, we
find such items as $3.50 for painting and lettering. Again there is STOOL
for a cab over driver and $75 for a seat.
Can it be that the tank, the chassis, the wagon body and all the
rest of the different things to be furnished, are sent out to a purchaser
without any paint n whatever? Surely there must be SOME paint on
them. And what is the lettering that it should cost o mucbg As q
matter OF fact, there is reason to believe that almost any wagon II au- |
iomobie painter in the city would do the job at much less a figure than
Saoo- AS for the seat, does not a seat come with every chassis? Surely
ner must be some place to- It to .nperate the machine when Il II aeJ
s-tred 70 The customer Any ordinary seat ought to sufficient for
a sprinkler. Why should there be a cab? Sprinkers are not used in
wet or cold weather. An ordinary umbrella to keep the sun off is suf-
nclent covering. The wagons now used by the city have no cabs for
the drivers to sit in.
These items n the smaller ones in the bids, but every 800
counts when the tax rate is 1886 on 800. /
There is q great deal of satisfaction in the attitude of Mavor Dor |
sey m connection with these proposed purchases. WI are not un-
mindful of the fact that the contract has already been let for two of
these sprinkler machines, having received the signature of the MAYOR
but the mayor promises to look into the various items and there is still
q ehanee, perhaps, to save the taxpayers some money.