El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-05-18

livery city and town the southwest IS interested IN
Il the working out in FL Paso, of modern system Of
budget making for the governmental bodies. The first
thing make careful estimates for each department and
pare them TO the utmost; next make definite appropna-
ton to each department. based the budget; then take
live within the budget Before the appropriations
It is important that public hearing be had,
that any taxpayer may have opportunity to present re-
guests for increased OF special appropriations tor items N
which he interested to protest against what he may
deem extravaganza waste, unnecessary expense.
In E Paso special department of the chamber Of COM
meTce strongly financed and managed by experts has been
up look after the interests Of taxpayers IN their re
latons to the public treasury The words tax and econ
omy and governmental research used IN the title Of the
special department indicate the nature Of Its work In
Fl Paso this committee Of taxpayers and the experts
poyed have from the beginning Of their work adopted an
attitude Of cooperation with the pubic elected auInori
attitude Of antsgonism- The city and county Off
Gals welcome their assistance and suggestions and do not
hesitate to call upon them for special investigations or re-
ports matters Of public finance and sduistration-
This condition is ideal There suggestion implied
that the public officials ress in their work, there IS
detective work" going on, there Is Ill humor OF
osusor0us meddhug and the public officials do not feel
that they being harassed but the contrary they vel
the efforts Of the chamber Of commerce committee
and give It's proposals lair hearing and due consiaeraon
It is worth noting that when the city budget
Gently submitted to the public at hearings n the council
chamber it thoroughly discussed clearly explained and
freely criticised, and yet few changes made in it and
the chamber Of commerce COMMITTEES recorded its sasiac-
ton with the schedule opposed BY the city administration
This hearing took place before the tax rate had been ikea
before the valuations were known accurately, and oIore
any appropriations had been made The finances Of the
city are thus made matter OF mutual adjustment between
the city officials and taxpayers and not only IS there better
satisfaction al around, but also sharing OF responsibility
that is good for both sides &c the arrangement.
1t now proposed with all wisdom and justice that
the same system be carried into county affairs, into the
school board and into the waterwOrks administration
The school board is under legal Obligation to prepare
budget submit 1t to public discussion at open hear
ing But its moral and social obligations great and
binding On members Of the board if the law defined them
The school board asks the taxpayers Of the city through
the city administration to It nearly S5ooO0o
to be spent IN its discretion.
Clearly the tazpayng public should know before the
ing public should be informed detail what the plans
item by item and should be given opportunity II ad
vance Of any commitments to discuss those items freely
An open hearing the school budget would be fruitful
Of good results as that the general city budget 1t would
promote better understanding al around strengthen the
hands Of school board members give the taxpayers
vivid Of actual participation in government and tend
TO share the responsibility in the case Of the city budget
This applies not merely to the general expenses Of the
board but 70 teachers salaries II Is not expected that the
salaries paid TO individual teachers BY shall be dis
cusssd in public but that the budget shall show what
teachers positions created what the positions pay
each class grade The question Of teachers salaries
far il relates to maximum and minimum service
reasss grading and on is Of course proper matter
for public discussion
The old idea that public officials could afford to defy
the popular viii that the principal duty of taxpayers
to damn the administration, is played The idea
Of cooperation Of constructive planning after open discus
sion has taken firm hold It is the old fashioned town