The largest budget is that of the capital city, with Santiago second. According to the latest figures available, in round numbers the income of the thirteen more important cities and towns is annually about as follows:
Santo Domingo…………………… $160,000
Santiago de los Caballeros…………. 90,000
San Pedro de Macoris………………. 50,000
Puerto Plata……………………… 40,000
La Vega………………………….. 30,000
Moca…………………………….. 21,000
Azua…………………………….. 20,000
San Francisco de Macoris…………… 19,000
Samana…………………………… 10,000
Monte Cristi……………………… 10,000
Sanchez………………………….. 10,000
Bani…………………………….. 9,000
San Cristobal…………………….. 8,000
In almost every town the largest item of expenditure is for education, the maintenance of public primary schools. The more important cities, especially the capital, make fair appropriations for street repair and other municipal public works, but in the lesser communes such appropriations are negligible. Very little, practically nothing, is appropriated for roads. Some communes pay a small subvention to the church and assist in the repair of church buildings. On the whole, municipal services are only scantily looked after, but the fault is due more to lack of revenue than to improper distribution. Occasionally the national government renders assistance in the construction of some work pertaining to a municipality.
The average distribution of municipal disbursements may be estimated about as follows:
MUNICIPAL EXPENDITURES
Approximate percentage of whole expenditure Education…………………………………… 27.1 Public works, street cleaning, etc…………….. 27. Police……………………………………… 8.4 Administrative expenses (salaries of municipal officials and cost of tax collection)………….. 7.5 Public lighting……………………………… 7. Sanitation………………………………….. 4. Charity…………………………………….. 2.2 Municipal debts……………………………… 1.9 Miscellaneous……………………………….. 14.2 ——— 100.
In view of the lack of resources or interest on the part of municipalities and the central government, services of a public nature have frequently been assumed by private initiative. Many clubs and lodges maintain schools. Firemen's corps, where there are any, are volunteer organizations. For charity work, hospitals, educational work, etc., local committees are formed which raise funds by private subscription or by lottery, and in a number of towns the embellishment of the plazas is in charge of a "junta de ornato."
CHAPTER XXIII
THE FUTURE OF SANTO DOMINGO
Attraction by the United States.—Political future of Santo
Domingo.—Economic future of Santo Domingo.