Governor May Veto Bill

GOVERNOR MAY VETO BILL

To Bond Ann Arbor for Sum of $40,000

OPPOSITION TO IT

Mayor Copeland Gives Out Figures Showing Overdrafts Next July of $30,000

Governor bliss will veto the bill for bonding the city of Ann Arbor for $40,000 unless he can be shown that the bill is all right and that the amount, $40,000, is absolutely necessary to make up the overdrafts.

This in effect is what the governor told city Attorney Sawyer over the telephone Tuesday. He said that opposition to bonding the city had developed from citizens of Ann Arbor.

Mayor Copeland, when seen by an Argus reporter, gave out some figures showing, he claimed, that the overdraft on July 1st next would be about as follows:

On Jan. 1 the city owed the school treasurer $29,908 and the county treasurer $18,819, and had in the bank $41,213, leaving an overdraft of $7,514. The December bills allowed and unpaid were $7,160, making the overdraft $15,124. The expenses from Jan. 1, 1902, to July 1, 1902, were $26,078. Estimating the expenses at the same figure, this would make $41,202. From this should be deducted an estimate of $4,000 city taxes collected and $7,000 liquor taxes, leaving, according to the mayor's estimate, $30,202 overdraft on July 1, 1903. The mayor gives the overdrafts in various years on July 1 as follows:

1898 On hand . . . . $9,818

1899 Overdraft . . . . 14,082

1900   "   . . . . 26,889

1901   "   . . . . 28,336

1902   "   . . . . 23,794

1903   "   (estimated) . . . . 30,202

The mayor seemed to labor under a misapprehension as to the Argus' purpose in calling attention to the bonding bill and the condition of the city's finances. In fact he expressed a doubt as to the Argus using his figures. The Argus has absolutely no desire in the premises except to lay before its readers the exact truth and, as always, welcomes statements from all city officials. The city of Ann Arbor is a corporation in which every taxpayer is a stockholder and is entitled to the fullest information as to the condition of the books.