The Battle for Tacoma's City Treasury
A councilman claims the city treasury is nearly empty while the treasurer boasts of a surplus, sparking a high-stakes standoff over public funds and transparency.
Councilman Nash is the quietest member of the city council, but last Saturday he declared there was only $43,000 available in the city treasury. This statement followed a claim by Chairman Gove of the finance committee that the treasurer's report showed over $600,000 in the treasury. Treasurer Boggs responded by labeling Nash a 'tool' of designing councilmen. Nash fired back, noting that the treasurer's report was neither signed nor countersigned, making its validity questionable. Nash argued that even if $600,000 exists on paper, it is already owed to cover outstanding indebtedness, interest, and bills. He stated that the available balance as of February 1 was less than $4,000. Nash accused the treasurer of poor management, claiming $1,000,000 in warrants remained outstanding and drawing interest while the city sat on cash that earned no interest for the public.
“As to damaging the city's credit, had the treasurer been more open in the conduct of the city's business... the credit of the city would undoubtedly have been better.”
Public skepticism regarding municipal budgets and 'surplus' accounting remains a persistent feature of Seattle and Tacoma politics. The 1894 standoff over city warrants and the 'transparency' of the comptroller's books mirrors contemporary debates about how local governments reconcile reported revenues with actual liquidity.
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