The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-07-13
NEW YORK. THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 49, lS43.


Comptroller sent the following letter to the Board
of Supervisors on Tuesday evening, and as it pos
sesses great interest with all tax payers we publish it
entire:-
CoMrTRsLLEs's OyrIsh, July IL, 1913.
TON Honorable the Board of Supervisors f the City Of
Nep York
GENTLEMEN This being the day assigned by law for
the annual inquiry into the amount OF tax to be imposed
on the taxable property Of this city and county, send
your honorable body all the facts have able to col
lect to assist you in this matter.
Upon examination of these facts you will perceive that
the amount to be imposed by you for the current
must under any circumstances be larger than that mpo-
sed last year. and this too under laws that restrict you
to the imposition Of tax for the ordinary purposes Of
city government, obviously far below that of former
years on the same account, and which will be largely
deficient in capacity to meet the actual expenditure
laws and appropriations Over this deficiency you hav
control, except branch Of the Common Council,
who, informed Of the difficulty and the remedy shall feel
your duty to originate ordinances in the Board Of Al
dermen calculated while yet the year but half spent
to reduce the corporation expenditures to the limited in
come you are at this meeting to provide.
You will perceive, gentlemen, that notwithstanding
you are called upon by the State laws to impose lower
tax for the ordinary expenditures Of the city
yet the aggregate tax levied Tor the past
year is 81 lit 900. As have before stated but which
cannot lose any of its emphasis by being repeated this
large imposition OF tax not sufficient to cover the ord
nary expenditures of the city incurred and incur
ring under existing customs and ordinances and unless
the correcting hand OF promised reform be- at once APP
piled by the Common Council in retrenching some
pendures and postponing others there to be
alternative but soppage OF supplies at the close of the
year, the accumulation of floating debt in the shape
Of unpaid bills, the Common Council have not the
power to borrow larger amount ia anticipation Of its
than the which the Board of Supervisors
levy.
will undoubtedly surprise your honorable body, that
under these the aggregate lot to be high
arises from the state of the school and water taxes
Last year the aggregate of these two taxes was about
St4e00 This year they amount to nearly S7s0000
being increase of nearly $4,000 The Board of SUI
perviors could well inquire whether is not in their
power nnder the existing laws to compel the trustees oil
common schools in their respective wards the aterna
leasing school houses for the present. instead OF
buying them.
My predecessor estimated the expenditure Of the pre-
sent for the purchase OF Sites &C., for school houses
at $20e 000he estimate in the papers herewith submit
ted is but $7seeOall of which must be raised by tax
unless the Board has arrest the expenditure by
requiring all parties hire school houses for the present
which, il in their power will reduce the tax to very
small em and accomplish all the beneficial objects in
tended by the school laws.
The water tax Of last year was SAT- 6l5 sufficient to
meet little than two quarters interest This yea
il be large enough to meet the four quarters ne
rest and have estimated it at $3.50 080 have enumera
ted the different laws affecting the taxes you are to i'm
pose and shall communicate any additional particulars
when the committee to whom this communication will
be referred, may desire.
Respectfully communicated,
ALFRED A. SMITH Comptroler