The New York herald., 1845-11-28

Extravaganza OF the Common Council.
Several months since, the Comptroller's budget
OF expenditures for the year ls45, was presented
in the Board of Assistants, disclosing glaringly the
fact that over two millions and a half OF dollars
would be required to be raised by tax, to carry out
the policy of our native rulers. The majority in
the Board becoming alarmed at the onslaught made
upon it by one fthe.Aldermen referred the same to
the Finance Committee, composed of majority
members, by whom it has ever since been smother
ed.
The majority "pledged to REFORM" refused to
print the document ,or the examination of the pub
lie, and il has not since seen the light. In the
meantime, various expedients have been devised to
lessen. in the public eye, the enormous amount of
expenditure thus stated Accordingly, before re-
porting on the general subject, the Finance Commit
tee made special report in favor of funding $780,
600 of the amount, the estimated expenditure on the
high bridge within the year; and in a subsequent re-
port, they contrve to abstract the sum OF $4O,923
for the payment of a contract already made for a
building on RandaPs Island which they denominate
as being trust fund.-" and class it under that
head, with street paving and regulating, when the
money is paid to the contractor only as 1t is
collected and received into the treasury for his be-
neft, the latter in nowise affecting the treasury
while the former must he raised either by taxation
by approprating the proceeds of the sale of pub
lie property for the purpose The latter expedient
has been adopted as most convenient in this case.
The majority have determined upon the sale
OF the Long Island farms, and the present nur-
series, which they estimate will bring suff-
cent sum to cover the amount. BY this pro-
ceeding, and by reducing the various items of
city expenditure, as estimated and reported by
the Comptroller, the report estimates
Of the heads of the various departments-who are
necessarily better qualified than the committee to
nudge of the actual expenditures required-they
succeeded in nominal reduction OF the amount esti-
mated by the Comptroller for county contingencies,
Of Sl5s 4l3-the Comptroler's estimate being
Sl099 400, and the committees, by reason Of these
clippings, $94O,9H
That our citizens may know the precise expend-
ture contemplated for the present year. by the ma
ority in the Common Council, which must be paid
by taxation sooner or later, we have taken some
pains to anayze the several documents referred to-
in order to present them in proper shape; and al
though the Comptroller's document did not accom-
pany the report of the Committee, in accordance
with the rules of the Boards yet are not at loss
Tor the facts being already provided with the ne
cessary extracts:-
EsriMATEp EXPENDITURES.
Estimated county contingencies by the
Comptroller, to carry out the present
policy of party in power. $l,099, 400
Less amount reduced by Com
mon Council. ...:..: issAs s04o,ss7 90
Building nursery" on Randalrs Island, to
be paid by sale of present nurseries"
and " Long Island Farms" .......... 4Os2a OF
Watch Department ............. 249 3o4 2t
Lamps and gas Observation-Disclosures. 100000 0e
Common Schools ......... ls0,ss4 rs
To pay deficiency Of interest public
debt. ........ 3ss s04 40
Do. Instament floating debt. ........ $4,000 90
Expenditure on high bridge, within the
year ................ 10000 90
State mill tax. ................... 259,556 90
Making a total to be raised by tax for
the year ls45 according to the estimate
of committee and Comptroller 50 4Og $40 80