STATE AND LOCAL EXPENDITURES 37 
at a more rapid rate than city expenditures in general, but 
in each year this function out-ranked all others on the basis 
of the total amounts expended. During the period 1923 
through 1928 education accounted for considerably more 
than 309, of net expenditures and 259%, of gross expenditures, 
not including debt redemption. In fact, in only one year 
of the period, 1928, were educational expenditures less than 
309, of the net total. 
On the basis of total net expenditures, other city functions 
ranked as follows in 1928: social welfare, highways, protec- 
tion, general government, and miscellaneous. 
When the functional data for the four cities are combined 
it is found that capital expenditures exclusive of those for 
public utilities amounted to $26.7 million for 1928, or 34.6% 
of net total expenditures. Of this amount, highways ac- 
counted for more than $10.5 million, and capital outlays for 
social welfare institutions formed the largest part of the 
remainder. These two functions and education normally 
require considerable capital additions as population expands 
and standards in governmental service are improved. In 
the years prior to 1928 capital expenditures did not form so 
large a part of the net total as in that year. In each year, 
however, they comprised more than 209, of the net total. 
Comparison of the distribution of city expenditures be- 
tween maintenance and capital with the same distribution 
for the state government brings out the fact that the cities 
have been expending funds for capital additions for a number 
of governmental functions, while the state has confined its 
capital expenditures mainly to one function, highways. 
The data indicate that the capital expenditures of the city 
governments have been diversified in response to the many 
and varied needs of the growing urban population. On the 
other hand, it would seem that the state government has 
concentrated on highway construction and has not developed 
various state institutions to an extent commensurate with 
the normal growth of the state. 
Information concerning the expenditures of St. Louis, 
Kansas City, St. Joseph, and Springfield is given in Tables 
12, 13, 14, and 15. Extended comment is not necessary,