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(continued)
<br />�.,
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<br />Pres en Common Counc 1.
<br />President Board of Aldermen.
<br />MAYOR'S VETO.
<br />May 16 ,1918.
<br />To E.T. Carruthers, Clerk of the Common Council.
<br />I veto and herewith return to you to be tranami tt ed to the Common
<br />Council of the City, the resolution passed by said body on the 11th of April,
<br />1918, and concurred in by the Board of Aldermen on the 13th day of Yay,lglgl
<br />appropriating $7,500. to lay concrete on a certain portion of ►►est Vain Street
<br />or Ivy Road, as specified in said resolution, the distance being one-fourth, of
<br />a mile. My reasons for this action are as follows:
<br />As you all know the city only gets revenue from a portion of one side of
<br />the street on which this imc.rovement is proposed to be made, all of the South
<br />side and a portion of the Nort. side (along there) being in Albemarle County,
<br />P
<br />T have closelyinspected this along with other important and mucli. traveled
<br />streets that are wholly in the city, namely, Park, High, Fifth Street S.vr, ,
<br />Yont icello Road and many other less traveled streets, and find all badly in need
<br />of repair. On this particular street we have the stree railway company to
<br />deal with, Under the abnormal conditions under which we are now living, owing
<br />to the high cost of labor and material, T feel that it would be unreasonable
<br />to require the company to perform its part of the work, and much more unreason•
<br />able for the city to do all the work, except the $2,000. so generaously offered
<br />by Pr. Alderman as a donation from the University (and just here T want to
<br />express my appreciation of tris kind offer). I am informed that more than 100
<br />public service coria -orations now have petitions before the State Corroration
<br />Comm; ssion seeking increases in rates. This city is simply a corporation,
<br />laboring under the same abnormal conditions other core,orations are laboring
<br />under. At the end of t*�^e fiscal year, September 1,1916 our records show that
<br />all work on streets and sanitation thatyear cost $20,048.63. e-eptember 1,1917,
<br />the records show a cost for this work of $31,860.68, a small portion of this
<br />was spent in the annexed territory. For tris year, under the recommendation
<br />of tre city Yanager and Finance Committee, the stun of $34,477.93 was appropriated
<br />for streets and sanitation. me still have three and a half months of this fiscal
<br />year to work in, and the City Vanager tells me that only about $6,957. of this
<br />appropriation is left.
<br />rron. the new terri to ry was annexed to the first of next September, we have
<br />collected and expect to collect from this territory $23,720.00. The City `Nnage"
<br />tells me u;� to this time about $24,000. has been spent in this territory,
<br />It must be taken care of for the balance of the year wrich will amount to
<br />several thouaar_d dollars. The vari:)us estimates of the city+s part of the
<br />ropoeed improvernent, which is in the n,,:w territory, runs from $7,500. to
<br />121500. , to Say nothing of tre cost to the Street Railway Company, which,
<br />Mr. Livers tells me, the c�i7pany cannot possibly stand. Our floating dept
<br />Se? temb-r 1,1916 was $18,232. September 1,1918 it will be about $45,0001
<br />( some say more) Notwithstanding our revenues are increasing from year to year.
<br />I am as much in favor of permanent improvements as any one of you and would most
<br />heartily favor this if T felt that we could finance this and also do justice
<br />to other sections of the city. To pact oil for our streets, which is a health
<br />preserver, I think should be done, we will be forced to borrow tre money.
<br />The oxcess in expenditures over appropriations satisfies me t1lat we will again
<br />run behind, and another increase in the cloating debt will. be the result,
<br />If there is not a halt called this city will be forced t�� do just as other
<br />co rpo rati c=ns are doing, --ask and demand an increase in assessments and licenseae2a
<br />on every conceivable thing that can be taxwd. To avoid t -is let's reduce e'
<br />and defer spending money on everyt'ning that can wait, and only spend in the
<br />interest of healtn and safety, until conditions become nearer normal.
<br />At present, gentlemen, ler us move cautiously.
<br />Respectfully submi tteds
<br />(Signed) E. Y.. 'Haden, 11'ayor.
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