The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-07-26

nebtly CaHVas6eu.
Cry TAxEs.-The Board of Supervisors
yesterday adopted the report of the Com.
mittee on Annual Taxes. The proceedings
will be found reported elsewhere. The pith
of the whole is, that sum of S2,393, 600
will be required to pay for the expenses
Of the city during the current year. The
chief items are, the Almshouse, which costs
$6l3, 450; the interest on the revenue bonds
$4,000; contingent expenses Of the county,
$4,000; repairs to public buildings, S1OO, 900;
salaries, s332,O0O; water pipes and laying,
$4,000; Deghue and Belgian pavement,
$l65,O00. Altogether, the tax for city pur.
poses amounts to 81 10Y in the 800. This is
heavier proportion than we have had any
past year except 1885, when the weight Of the
taxes almost produced civic convulsion.
Last ear the proportion was ST 05 to the 500;
in 1853, 81 23a.
A question has been raised but not yet acted
upon, relative to the personal property owned
by non-residents in the city. The last act
authorizes the city government to assess it
as well as the property Of residents, and
rough estimate has been made show
ing taxable personal property to the
amount Of fourteen millions and half
to be owned in this city By non. residents.
This is equal to one. eleventh of the whole per-
sonal property taxed this year; and it is proba-
bic that if all the personal property owne by
nonresidents were ascertained, it would rather
exceed than fall short Of tenth of the VIII ole.
An addition Of this extent to the taxable pro.
perry would have the effect Of reducing the tax
to the neighborhood Of its figure last year.
At the rate Of this year, the non-residents
ought to contribute $4,000 to the
city expenses. They escape the tax--defraud
the city to this amount--by residing in the
country or abroad. The question whether they
have right so to do has now been decided: the
act Of the Legislature is positive on the oins:
1t only remains for the municipal authorities to
carry The legislative injunction into effect.
The amount Of the taxes this year is large,
but not larger than was to have been expected.
None but quack reformers avail them selves of
the cry Of retrenchment, and hold out a pros
pect Of economy as reward to the public for
installing them In Office. When a city comes 10
spend couple or more of millions a year in
ordinary expenses, to agitate for retrenchment
in the expenditure is to set premium on mis-.
government. The people of New York have
always been ready to pay largely. They have
never grumbled, however large was the sum
asked Of them. They paid million cheerfully,
though they thought the figure stiff aud It was
so; and now they will pay two millions and a
half nearly, without word of complaint Men
worth $4,000 will pay sl2O towards support
Ing the city government, and the sum will not
DO asked foE again. But they expect in re-
tDrn for this, that the city will be governed
vigorously and weil--that the reform, begun
by Mayor Wood viii be continued to the end
OF bis adminissration-tha It will not DO al.
tempted to foist stories Of Buncombe energy
upon tie pablo, but that TIE police will do their
duty seriously AID uncompromisingy-th,t
gambling, drunkenness, and other loathsome
vices will be put down-in short, that life.
property aud the public morals will be safe
md hat the city will wear The appearance Of
having 50 large sun g. s2,ae3,6co spent opon
: IL gear.