The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-01
GOVERNMENT IN ST. PETERSBURG


that paper letter. under the assumption that read
ers of the Tribune might to know something
of the actual workings of the commission plan for
municipal government Is being daily in
ST. Petersburg, Its seventh year of operation
He says
st. Petersburg tried out the old councilmanic
form OF government. 1t grew weary of this and in
1918 voted for q city charter and a form Of
government. There is little likelihood of the city
ever going back to the old plan. How much money
has been saved to the city by commission plan
one can say accurately but those familiar with the
way the city has been conducted know that big
saving has been effected
At the close of business at the end of the fiscal
year 1913, the city had no money in the treasury
and owed, in current bills si45o3 That condition
had existed at the end OF each fiscal year for many
years. There always deficit. Under the coun-
cilmanic plan the expenses always We're more than
the income
At the close OF the fiscal year 1912 there was in
the city treasury in cash in the banks s29 70o %
/ and every outstanding bill had been paid. There
was floating debt. There has not been any float
Ing debt at the end of the fiscal year since the
mission plan of government has been used The
budget system prevents it.
In 1913 the last year the old councilmanic plan
was in effect, the city. revenue amounted to s53,-
1928. The town had then just started its up
grade movement. The revenue, for a town of its
size, good. The tax rate 10 mills But the
expenses were greater than the incoae for in that
year, 1913, the city paid out total Of s6i,i2I96
leaving deficit of s7,655o2 while from the previous
year there remained also, unpaid bills amounting
to s6s9Se5. that the actual deficit st455369
In 1919 the city started out with sfl5322 cash left
from the previous year. after all floating debt
had been paid. Taxes and other revenue brought
30 nAlr T~,
rent expenses of si673o3 92. 1t big for
city the size of St. Petersburg. but the expenses
were only st37.59s.6i; so there was a balance left
after paying all bills. of s29.7052s.
Comparing St. Petersburg. under the -commission
plan with it under the old councmanic form, is
very difficult, for the city has been growing fast
it is hard to get basis For instance, the
ment in 1913 was s3,TO0O00 while in 1919 it was
20000O00 because the commissioners, few years
ago, doubled the assessment arbitrarily have
fair cash value for assessment purposes rather
than have a higher milage and a low assessment.
The assessment doubled and the millage cut in
two. The tax rate is 10 mills. 1t climbed as
high as % mills, which would be the same as IL
mills the present valuation. before the present
commissioners assumed office.
st. Petersburg has grown tremendously in the last
seven years. and the property values have increased
in the same ratio and the revenue has increased.
Under the commission form of government ac-
counts have been accurately kept and easily
able to tell how money has been spent and also
how much has been used from current taxes for
permanent Improvements. The waterworks plant
uses its earnings TO pay interest and sinking fund
charges the watersvorks bonds instead of this
money being put. before, in the general expense
fund 1t was the custom. in the days of city coun-
ellis. for the revenue from the waterworks TO go
Of oth
menls. Now the revenue from the waterworks is
used to. pay interest and sinking fund charges In
the fiscal year 1919 all the interest and sinking fund
charges the gas bonds
net revenue from water sales The same is
true of the gas plant. Its earnings than
sufficient to pay all the interest and sinking fund
charges nthe gas bonds.
Under the commission plan St. Petersburg has
built and owns its gas plant which is a very large
source of revenue it has reduced the operating cost
of the waterworks and hes collected all the bills
due; it has paid off. out of current $4,000
that due old revenue bonds that We're issued
to meet deficits under the councilmanic form
Take year Of the present commission form OF
government the fiscal year ending June 30 1915
At the close OF business for that year the city had
in its treasury s2s.37o.6i For years before there
had been deficit of s32,000O0. But this does not
represent the whole difference In 1918 the city
paid $4,000 in interest and sinking fund charges
Just $4,000 more than paid three years before.
The city paid $4,000 old debt contracted by
the previous administration. The year, out
Of current revenue the city paid to the old Bayboro
debt $1,000 and paid eff other old debts amounting
10 s4soo All Of which shows that there was s43-
500 profit to the city that went the payment of
old debts Instead of deficit in spite of these un
usual expenditures. there was surplus s2s 1856
In the Last year the tax rate has not been raised
nor mas the assessment been raised except where
improvements nave been made. yet the salaries of