The City Does Not Collect The Money Due It

Aid. Hamilton, for some years chairman of the finance committee, grew sarcastic at the last meeting of the council and remarked in speaking of the city funds: "Perhaps some editor can find another $25,000." 

Mayor Copeland grew furious under the criticisms on his financial management and in a speech on the condition of the funds, after stating that on the first of March after the city had paid what it owed the school, county and state funds, it would have $5,000 or $6,000 in the treasury and that there were $13,000 bonds coming due in March, exclaimed: "Not a penny more can be found. I defy any editor, street loafer or curbstone orator to find a penny." 

These gentlemen may grow as sarcastic as they please, but the Argus is still going on finding things, and the fact is daily becoming more apparent that the city's finances have been conducted in a hap-hazard sort of way which would have ruined any private business.

The Argus will show these gentlemen who are bound to bond this city for ten years to meet an overdraft which will be fully taken care of this summer and which when driven to confession by the Argus' previous expose, they acknowledge does not now exist, that there is in the neighborhood of $6,500 which they can get and which is not now in the treasury. 

This $6,500 is in three items.

First. The University regents agreed to stand $5,000 as their share of the expense of the State Street paving in front of the University buildings. The University is not just now short of funds and has expressed no unwillingness to help out the city, which, according to the administration, is in such great financial distress, but as a University official has expressed it, the city has presented no bill to the University. The University is not in the habit of paying bills before they are presented. There is absolutely no necessity for waiting until after the city has been forced to bond before presenting this bill. Here is half a million pennies for you, Mr. Mayor. 

Among the bonds coming due in March is considerable over $3,000 for the State street paving. 

Second. Some two years ago the tax collections ceased with an unpaid personal assessment against the Ellis estate for $1,089.62. City Attorney Norris, who was going out of office, took the matter to City Attorney Sawyer with the information that he could collect this tax for the city by bringing suit. That is the way large unpaid personal assessments have previously been collected for the city, and it is the only way they can be collected when the personal property has been removed from the city. No suit has ever been brought. The Ellis estate is perfectly good for any judgment that could be obtained. Here are 108,902 more pennies, Mr. Mayor. 

Third. In 1896 the city purchased a site for a city building on Huron street, opposite the engine house, for $4,500. They rented this ground for a woodyard at $10 per month. On Sept. 30, 1897, $65 rent was paid and on Dec. 31, 1898, the sum of $160 rent was paid in full to Jan. 1, 1899. Since this date the city's books do not show payment of rent. No bilis have been presented for rent and consequently no rent has been paid. The grounds were rented to perfectly responsible parties and prompt payments would undoubtedly have been made had bills had been presented. 

The city should make an effort to collect the moneys due it before trying to mortgage the homes of its citizens. 

The chairman of the  finance committee has other duties than the mere auditing of bilis. He it is that the council relies upon to keep its finances straight and to keep them posted on their condition.

The mayor has other duties than classifying the greater part of his constituents as "editors, street loafers or curb-stone orators." It is one of his duties to sign the warrants for bills audited by the council and not to keep men dependent upon their wages for their living out of their money in an effort to compel theiu to mortgage their homes.

The city attorney has other duties than simply drafting bilis to bond the city for $40,000 to be spent "for other purposes." 

According to Mr. Seyler, the administration's expert, the overdraft on July 1 will be about $19,000. He took no account of this $6,500, which the Argus has  just shown, the city can collect. If he does this the overdraft would be cut down to some $12,500. Not $40,000, mind you. 

The Argus is not employed to put the city's finances straight. If the people who are would devote the energy they have expended and are expending to mortgage the city to a careful study of ways and means they might undoubtedly discover many other things which the Argus has not yet shown up, which would insure to the benefit of the city's treasury.