The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-01-23
Lambertville's Problems

ing of the Lambertville City Commits
sioners and interested citizens in tn,
commissioners rooms on Wednesda,
evening, when municipal affairs wer,
discussed.
Commissioner Foltz explained i,
detail the cost of street work and tn,
inability of the commissioners to d.
any so-called permanent paving will
the funds available for 1920. H,
7 stated that citizens often thought il
would be good thing to drop all re
pair and maintenance work on the
streets, and take each dollar raised by
taxation and apply it solely to cement
brick or asphaltic pavement, believ-
ing that such action would result in
fine streets within few years, with
out heavy burden upon the taxpav-
err.
Mr.. Foltz explained that the clean
ing of rains, repairs of drains and
cleaning of streets cost $1,164.62 in
1919, and repairs $1,697.33, neither of
which items would be noticeably de-
creased for some years to come by
any piecemeal building of permanent
pavement; in fact, change of pave
ment would not alleviate the need for
cleaning and repairing.
Mr.. Foltz read cost figures as to
the use of the tractor and wagons
furnished by City Engineer Kitchen,
showing that the expense was less
than by any other method, and the
only way in which material could be
moved when needed, owing to the in
ability to secure either teams or
trucks at critical times. Fire Chief
George W. Arnett was the only citizen
who criticized the method, he being
the city's largest property owner. Mr..
Arnett thought the work had been
done fairly well, but favored quick
moving trucks for hauling city ma
terial instead Of tractor.
Andrew j. McClinton, president of
the Board of Education, did not think
the city should undertake permanent
paving of the streets until sewers
were installed, which would be some
years hence, anyway. Mr.. McClin-
ton then went into details of school
costs, and said that although the pure
| ly local expenses of the schools was
actually cut for the coming year, the
total costs would be much higher
owing to increased wages and de-
creased state appropriations. He es-
timated the current years deficit al
about $4,000, and said if the mini.
mum salary bill for teachers passes
Legislature it would probably ado
$4,000 to next years expenses, bring.
ing the total city appropriation ur
from the S16,33O of 1919 to $4,000
or $4,000, it probably being neces-
sary to ask for upwards of $24,00C
under present conditions.
School Supervisor John H. Herring
explained some of the deficiency items
and Walter F. Hayhurst, former Sc
cretary of the Board of Education
whom Mayor Balderston failed to re-
appoint this year, gave detailed fl
cures of costs and expenditures. He
assailed the loby working for in
creased teachers salaries, and said
that if they were granted the state
would undoubtedly have to appro.
pirate sufficient extra money to take
care of the increase, as 1t would NEAR
an enormous burden to city the size
of Lambertville.
Mr.. Hayhurst also charged that
Pennington, with much less popula-
ton than Lambertville, received E
larger allowance from the state, due
to new methods at Trenton, by which
allowances appear to be made on {
basis of per capita appropriation
Pennington having a larger pei
capita wealth than Lambertville car
afford this larger appropriation, pre-
rata, and therefore benefit more
largely from the state, he explained
Mr.. Hayhurst also characterized
as a falsehood the assertion that th'
state allowed this city fifteen cent:
per scholar per day, although it il
told, he said, by state authorities, anC
even written on school blackboards
He figured out the amount allowed fol
each grade teacher and other fea
lures, and the remainder only allowed
three-fourths of one cent per day fol
each pupil, instead of twenty times
that much. Even if the entire STATE
allowance was credited to pupils, i
would amount to but three cents pc
day, or one-fifth the amount alleged
In closing his argument, Mr.. Hay
hurst said there was nothing to d.
but face the issue, let the taxes b.
what they will, and carry the fight TO
school finances into the state board
which now excuses czar-like authori
ty over local affairs.