San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-06
ALMOST
TWO MILLION
Of CITY FUNDS
Financial Report Shows City
Government Expenses
Heavy.
SOME FUNDS EXHAUSTED
Only Little Over S500,000
Left to Run City Next
Four Months.

Commissioner William o. R.cdcn is
the only member of the city commits
sion who had overdrawn his budget al
lowance at the close Of business on Feb
ruary 3, according TO statement of the
city's financial condition prepared by
the city auditor and submitted at the
regular council meeting Monday after
noon. The statement was prepared pur-
suant to a resolution introduced by
Tax Commissioner John L. Pfeiffer at a
previous meeting.
According TO the statement, up TO
February 3, Commissioner Rieden was
Overdrawn by 35,79792. This did not
include January merchants bills. The
sewer department also was oyerdrawn
S2919.49. In addition the statement
showed balance of $l39,691 80 in I'M
paid appropriations in the street de-
partment.
The city now has on hand, according
to the figures submitted by the audi
tor, total of $685., 533. 20 out of a
total budget allowance Of S2,3O0,O0
There are four months remaining of the
present fiscal year and funds for the op-
Grafton of all departments must come
out of this sum.
Mayor to Be on Debit Side.
With the single exception of Com
missioner Rieden, the statement shows
that other members of the commission
have balances to their credit, although
in some cases these balances are small.
The mayors contingent fund, which
originally contained 100000, shows
balance of $21.21S.49. Interest on out
standing warrants, however, Commits
sioner Pfeiffer asserts, will amount to
approximately $35,G00, which would
leave the mayor on the debit side of the
ledger.
Although the statement shows that
Commissioner Ray Lambert has only
about $1,000 in his parks and plazas
budget to run him for four months, the
park commissioner asserted Tuesday
that a chec,s of the items shown therein
will show that he is entitled to a bal
ance of approximately $4,000. Under
an agreement reached between the
mayor and him, he said, an item Of 3d.
322.OG spent for the resurfacing of the
roadways in Breckenridge and other
parks was TO come out of the mayors
contingent fund. Two other items, one
Of $1,000 for a comfort station at Bra ok
enridge Park and $1OS0 for the club
house, as well as $4,000 for the San
Pedro swimming pool, the park COM
missioner said, were TO be charged TO the
park department, but were 10 be al
lowed in excess Of his temporary
budget. In other words, he explained,
he was to be allowed an overdraft for
that amount.
Will Claim That $4,000.
If all of these items are charged as
ogtnaI urnn InmpisGiopar nm hort
said, he will have about $4,000 with
which TO run the parks and plazas de
partment for the remaining four months.
He will insist that these items be
charged as was agreed upon.
The budget of the fire and police de
partment is in better shape than any of
the others, the statement shows. Fig
Ures on Commissioner Wright's budget
show that he has kept within his budget
figured on pro rata basis and that he
will have ample funds with which 10 OPP
crate during the remainder of the fiscal
year.
Mayor BlaclI Monday requested all
members of the commission TO submit
their final budgets for the year. The
final budget must be adopted and the
tax rate fixed some time this month.
Expect SQuabbIe for Funds.
A merry sQuabble is expected when
the final budget comes M. Commits
sioner Rieden, already on the debit side,
is expected to seek division of funds
from the other departments in order that
he NAV operate his department during
the remainder of the year. The other
commissioners, however. who fe2l that
they are not responsible for the enOr-
nous amount of money spent in the
street department. it ia believed. will
insist that none of their money bel
given to Riedcn.
Commissioner Pfeiffer already has in
timatcd that he will expect the street
commissioner TO take the consequences
of his spending campaign and il is be-
licved that he will insist on the other
commissioners retaining their present
allotments. In this event the street
commissioner will find himself flat
broke" for the remainder of the year,
as Commissioner Pfeiffer has declared
he will oppose any attempt TO create AMI
ovcrdraft.