Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-10-27

no n ha sever. started a single suit
against the County because Of the
award of road contracts. This ought
to convince people that contracts
are awarded right.
Not only that but when the pres
emit Board took office in 1918 the
four year maintenance clause under
the bond was radically changed. The
former bond made the contractor
only responsible for the surface
pavement provided the surface was
destroyed through wear and tear or
any defect in the surface itself. This
left it comparatively easy for the
contractors to insist that the cause
of a break was the fault of the base
and not the nurface. The mainten-
ance clause has been changed since
1918 to make the contractor respon-
sible for surface breaks due to any
aus whatsoever.
The road repair money is appor-
toned In the beginning of the year
according to a certain set plan and
then sent to the State Highway
Commission for approval. All ex-
penses are subject to the approval
of the State Highway Commission
anu luG REPAIRS SupJGtb " llCiA III
spection. Their State Highway in
spectors are on our roads daily re-
porting on and overseeing the work
under repair and they have certified
that every dollar charged them was
correct and have paid accordingly.
Believing that eternal vigilance in
maintenance is the price of good
roads this Board inaugurated the
County Parol system with an idea
of catching the sm"ll breaks In time.
This system in itself has resulted
in a considerable saving to the
County and in addition to that the
appropriation to repair roads has
been increased from 500. 100000 to
nearly $3.50. 100000.
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS.
Over one half of the County Bud
get consists of the co-called manda-
tory requirements. Items like
Courts, County Clerk, ~Surrogate's
Account, Sheriff's Account. Luna
tics, Tuberculosis, Widows Pensions,
etc. are items over which the Board
of F~reeholders have practically no
control. In some of these items
there have been tremendous in
CIedStS. idht lUT eAdAIlDle NiuOW .
Pensions which in 1918 amounted
to $19,000.00 and today amount to
$56,000.00, an increase of $36,000.00.
Take tuberculosis which in 1918
amounted to $25, 10000 and today
amounted to $4,000. 90, an increase
of $58,000.0 90. Take for example,
elections which in 1918 amounted TO
$25,000.00 and today amounts to
$65,000.00 an increase of $~40,000.00.
Take for example the maintenance
of Lunatics which in 1918 amounted
$3.50, 900. 90 and today is $55,000.00
an increase of S25, 100000. These
four items alone lave increased to
an average of about $160,000.00
There have been substantial in
creases in the County Clerks, Sur
rogate's, and Sheriff's accounts and
also in the Courts accounts, items
over which the Freeholders have
practically no control. If the Free
holders are to be held responsible
for the County Budget they should
have jurisdiction and discretion in
paying the bills. To this end they
had introduced legislation drafted by
an official %cornected witt this Coun-
ty eliminating mandatory require
ments and permitting freeholders
to exercise Jurisdiction and discre-
tion in the payment of these sort
of bills. This bill passed the House
of Assembly but never came to a
vote in the Senate due to the con
dition of affairs that existed in the