The Park Governments of Chicago 31 



11. GENERAL FINANCIAL METHODS 



RECEIPTS 



The receipts of the several park districts within the city are 

 derived from three general sources : ( 1 ) from sale of bonds, 

 (2) from taxes and special assessments, and (3) from charges 

 for services rendered, and rental and sale of park property. The 

 receipts from sale of park bonds and from special assessments 

 are applied in increasing the value of the assets of the park 

 boards. The other receipts are used for purposes of operation 

 and maintenance. The Special Park Commission of the city gov- 

 ernment receives an appropriation for operation and mainte- 

 nance in the annual city budget each year. The total receipts of 

 all park governments within the city of Chicago during 1910 

 were $5,656,740. The amounts received by each park district 

 during that year are shown in Table D of the Appendix. 



EXPENDITURES 



The total expenditures in Chicago for public park purposes 

 in 1910 were $6,003,654. Of this amount $2,342,641 was for 

 salaries and wages. The 1910 expenditures for each of the park 

 districts for all purposes are shown in detail in Table D of the 

 Appendix. 



Municipal governments with few exceptions expend their 

 money each year according to definite plans or budgets carefully 

 compiled and formally adopted either before or soon after the 

 beginning of the year. There is no uniformity in the fiscal policy 

 of the South, West and Lincoln Park Boards in this respect. 



The Lincoln Park Board is the only park board which, preced- 

 ing the time of levying taxes, attempts to compile a classified 

 estimate of the amounts needed during the ensuing year for each 

 of the park functions and activities. An estimate of this char- 

 acter, although it does not go much into details, is prepared and 

 transmitted each year by the Lincoln Park Board to the town 

 authorities, together with, and supporting the amount of tax levy 

 requested. In levying and extending the taxes the gross amount 



