The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-05
MEETING FOR CITY REFORM.
~~N~>>>N>N~>~N>>~~>~>
Are Our Taxes to Increase I!
WHIT ARE WE TO DO!
&C., &C., &c.


Another city reform meeting WASHED at the Stuy-
vesant Institute on Thursday evening last over which
Peter Cooper Esq Of the Eighteenth ward presided.
A committee appointed at former meeting to pro-
pose measures of reform, made their report, fol-
lows =
REPORT.
That they have carefully examined the whole sys-
tenn of government now provided by law for the city,
and have inquired into its actual administration,
with a view OF learning what the mischiefs were
which required remedy, and whether such remedy
demanded further legal enactmentS tor its appica-
cation.
defect Of the first Importance, if not in the struc
ture, at least in the working Of the city government,
Immediately attracted the attention of yonr commit
tee They found that no efficient and sound system
of accountability for the public moneys the part
of those by whom they were expended, existed or
was enforced-that no regular scrutiny OF the dis
bursements OF departments, bureaus, or subordmates
was pmotsed and no effective supervision of eXpen-
ditures to see that they were confined to legal OBJ
jects OF expense to the city, was even attempted.
Another essential error in the administration of the
city government, your committee discovered Ill the
entire confusion between legislative and executive
duties which had been introduced in practice by the
two boards of the Common Council, their committees
and members. The entire discrimination between
these two functions which the amendments to the
charter in lS49 were designed to effect In practice,
has utterly failed of accomplishment
But the worst feature of the city government, as
now constituted, seemed to your committee to be the
complete supremacy of the Common Council, and the
entire absence of any office or department ndepen-
dent of its influence able to withstand it, The veto
of the Mayor interposed obstacle to the designs
Of persistent majority of the two boards; the limits
which the law should impose upon their acts as re-
strictcd to the special purposes OF the incorporation,
became nugatory as the two boards Of the Common
Council judged OF the extent and scope of those pur
poses and without appeal, unless judicial restraint
was interposed at the suit Of individual com.
plants; and the arrangement of the power of inl-
parchment for mapractices in office, and of the tri
bunal for the trial Of mpeachments removed all fear
to the members of the Common Council from this
quarter, as it lay exclusively with the Board Of As
sistant Aldermen to impeach, and exclusively with
the Board OF Aldermen to try the impeachment
When the committee looked from the system OF
government to the persons and characters OF those
who had of late administered it, they found great
reason to inquire whether change in regard to
the charter elections might not be made to rescue
the conduct of the public affairs from the unworthy
hands into which it had fallen. Their own observa.
ton, the attesatons which the record presented and
the concurrent voice Of public sentiment from all
quarters, satisfied your committee that great
change for the worse had taken place Of late in the
character and conduct of those charged with the city
government
Under the impression of these views, Of the evils
to be corrected, your committee have prepared &C.
veral measures, frorwhich they think beneficial
result may be anticipated, and which they respect
fully submit Tor your approval.
In the first place, they recommend an amendment
to the city charter separating the charter from the
general election, and restoring it to the month Of
April. BY this change, your committee suppose the
attention of the honest and disnterested portion Of
the community can be directed to the personal quail
catons whether ofcapacity or integrity, of the can
didates for charter Offices, without any embarrass
ment from the general politics Of the State or Of the
Union, which, in the present arrangements OF the
elections absorb all local considerations Besides the
absence from the city during the summer and early
fall, (the period when all the preparations for the
November elections are cOmpletng0 Of great num-
Der of citizens most interested in the city affairs, rem
ders the restoration Of the charter elections to the
spring for this reason, highly desirable. Your
committee have accordingly framed law to accom-
plish this object
:, The second measure which your committee have.
thought advisable, is change in the provisions Of
the annual tax law Of the Legislature, with the in
tent to limit the expenditure Of the city government
to the objects therein named and the amounts there
in authorized, and to preclude the Common Council
or the executive departments from making eypendi-
lures or contracting debts in the excess Of the
amounts thus authorized Your committee have pre-
pared law to this effect, and its adoption by the
Legislature will set limit to the treasures at the
disposal OF the city government, not easily to be
Overpassed.
The third measure which your committee have ma
tured and now present for your consideration, is an
amendment of the city charter, organizing Board
OF Finance, with such power as may constitute it an
efficient check, both to keep the legislation of the
Common Council within its legitimate sphere, and
the action Of the executive departments under strict
supervision and complete control. The amendment
to the charter proposed to accomplish this object is
herewith submitted to you; but brief explanation of
the principles upon which this Board Of Finance has
been framed, and of the main features of its con-
struction, seems not inappropriate.
The great requisites to the vgor and successful
operation of such q Board Of Finance, it will gene
rally be conceded, are, first, independence Of and
security against encroachments from, the Common
Council, and the departments whose proceedings and
action it is designed to hold in check. Second,
strength, both in its hold upon the public confidence
and from its own inherent powers practically to effect
whatever the law OF its constitution permits it to I'M
dertake Third, pernanence, both in the longer
tenure Of office, and from the sources Of its appoint
ment being in some sort distinct from those Of the
other branches of the city government Fourth, pu-
rty by being removed from the c0rrupting influence
which the patronage of office and the distribution Of
money exert on their possessOrs and protected by
the absence of those attributes Of power alike from
the envy Of asprants for place and the dstust Of the
citizens at large.
In framing the law establishing this Board of F.
nance, your committee have endeayored to meet all
these acquisitions far at least az was deemed COM
patible with the general spirit Of institutions
The first ten sections OF the act, as proposed are
occupied with the organization of the board, and sec
tons 49, 30, 49, 80, and 81 provide for the filing of
vacancies which may occur in it, for the submission
OF the act to the people before IL shall become law
and tor the first election of members Of the board.
BY reference to these sections it will be observed,
that OF the nine members Of the board, three are
elected by the people, three appointed by the Go.
vernon, and three by the Mayor That they divided
into three classes, going out Of Office at intervals Of
two years; and that they have power to provide for
the expense OF discharging their duties, but receive
pay or emolument.
Sections ii and IL, both inclusive contain the ge-
neral powers Of the board in supervising and auditing
the accounts Of all departments and officers OF the
city government, and confer upon them all power to
limit the expenditures prohibit any large expendi-
tures and prevent any demand from accruing against
TO the board to institute and control suits for the re-
covery of money illegally paid from the treasury, and
to enforce the collection OF all balances OF accounts
which may be stated against city officers by said
board.
Sections 10, 20, and 81, relate to the impeacll.
ing power, and the trial Of impeachments,
giving to the Board of Finance the sole power OF
impeachment of members of the Common Council
and city and all officers, excepting the members of
said Board of Finance, and subjecting them to i'm