New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-12-08

tarcd no provision has been made for the reimburse
merit of the same The amount of deficiency from these
euuses il s,stna;ed will resch the Of $50 0J1.
II Is true that the cos Of these improvements has ai,
or nesrly all been paid, but the money 80 PAID w As
ra,ed for ether spehe objects, or borrowed upon as
sessreut bonds which are still outstanding or have
been in part aid from moneys nised by taxation Tor
the Ordinary expenses Of Government.
A large amount of assessments made PRIOR 10 Jan. l,
1859 upon the real estate owned by the Corporation,
remain unpaid, ard the remissious by the Common
Council from time 10 time OF assessments made oy lher
authority have also caused deficiency IN the Trust
Funds, for which provision appears "a have been
mace. Assessments being al WAYS made for the exact
amount Of the cost of the particular works, II follows
of course that any reni SONS or amounts not realized
uus cause a corresponding deficiency IN the means
herewith TO redeem the assessment bonds uPoa
which the money is raised, for executing said works.
It is earnestly recommended that effective means
be provided 10 prevent such Loose in the future.
4 considerable amount Of advances and payments
heretofore made TO contractors the public works
have been ard viii he lost by the proceedings which
lave been instituted for the yaett0n OF the assess
ents made TO reimburse the same on the ground OF
egulsriy, and paid IN the contracts therefor out the
aggregate cannot be stated Other losses have
arisen from payments made upon fraudulent certh-
Gates of inspectors certifying To the performance OF
work which never be, and from alleged pay
menis made for work not authorized and for which no
contracts we've made, which amounts cannot, there
fore, be included in assessmtn ts
IL bas been suggested but not warranted by ascer-
tanned facts that the Deficiencies and losses accrung
from the orego ng and other have 20 extent
been made goodby gain from merginga portionof the
exuended appropriations remaining AT the end oil each
wear into general fund. is found that no accounts
were opened with the appropriations made. Such
not regarded or treated in the ac-
counts as debts 70 be paid neither were the taxes
levied TO pay such appropriations treated In the
accounts as assets. All moneys expended were
charged 10 accounts corresponding 10 the titles OF the
appIorriaons and such accounts were at the end OF
ai IN Account.
receipts fiom taxes were credited to Taxes Of each
and at tie end of the year carried to the credit OF
= Profit and Loss" and the balance remaining after
Oh entries were made either to the debit or credit
of Profit and Loss, transferred 10 an account,
entitled Tie City and County Of New-fork.' This
last mentioned account exhibited a debit balance on
the 3Ist December 1885, according to the Did General
Ledger of 81, 304 OIL, which as an asset is not
There has, however, been some gain from the source
hove mentioned, but the amount has been absorbed
by the losses from the defalcatons Of the various coli
Iectors of the revenues of the Corporation, and by
the sums advanced for the purchase of lands sold for
assessmen s.
Three or four years will probably have elapsed be-
fore all of the Losses TO tie Treasury will have been
developed, inasmuch az many OF the items OF assess
mcns now apparently due to the city, and counted
among the asseis have 10 doubt been actually col
ected and proceedings now pending to vacate other
assessnents will hardly be determined within that time
The suits brought against the Corporation based on
inc in their litigation and final disposition. For these
reasons il is proposed not to pay any instamens
he principal of the stock which is recommended to be
sued for funding these debts before the year 1865 by
which time il is presumed that the whole amount of the
iebts TO be funded will have been ascerained Mean
hile the interest said STOCK so much thereof as
nay be issued from time to time, Is TO be provided for
BY taxes.
The Tax law passed in each year contains provs-
on restricting the expenditure of the money to be |
cd IN he sDeclted
the appropriations This restriction Is no doubt en-
rely proper but il sometimes occurs, from want OF
proper care in making the estimates upon which the
authorizations are based, that insufficient amount is
provided for some purposes, ard for others larger
um is appropriated than is required. Under the re-
rietve provision referred to- remedy is afforded in
ares where a failure of the appropriation prevents
necessary expenditure for any injury which the public
interests NAV sustain Ii is therefore deemed expedi
mt that authority shall be given to the Common Coun'
ii. under certain conditions TO transfer by resolution
ordnance from appropriations IN excess OF probable
xrendtutes TO be made under them, TO those in which
here NAV be deficiency such sum or sums IA may be
eemed eXpedient. clause TO this effect has accord
ngy been inserted in the draft Of the Tax law for 1860
In view Of the increase not only in the amount, but
liz in the rate Of taxation, for many years past and OF
lie complaints which it has occasioned the part of
,ur citizens and also of the generally prevalent
ectson that the upward tendency of the rate Of tax
ltiOn has reached its maximum, every new item OF
expenditure and every increase in amounts heretofore
II propriated to specific purposes should be carefully
crutinized and well considered before they are |
dopted. In preparing the estimates, the Controller
las endeavored to make them adequate to the probable
wants of the Government; and while he has endeav- |
,red to guard against exravagant expenditure he has
llso aimed to avoid an unwIse parsimOny.
In his last Annual Report to the Common Council, |
he Controller recommended that means be taken to |
procure change in the law that the valuation of
property should be completed and submitted 10 the |
Board of Supervisors early the LIST Of February in
ach year. and that the tax books should be duly pre-
AIRED and delivered to the Receiver by the lst Of April
hereafter. Such arrangement would enable the |
Treasury realize the proceeds of the Tax levy
raj months earlier than the money be collected /
lndtr the existing law, and would save to the Corpo
alton the interest upon large amount of money which
annually borrowed in anticipation of the receipt Of
he taxes, to carry on the Government. The proposed
hange is again urgently recommended to your Hon. |
,Table Bodies for your action thereon.
In conclusion, the Controller would strongly urge |
lpon your honorable bodies the Importance of mmed
lie action in making the necessary appropriations for
he coming year. Ii the required ordinance is passed
before the st of January the draft OF the necessary
FAX law can be submitted to the Legislature immedi-
ltey after the assembling of that body, and will be
more likely be acted upon early in the session than
postponed to later period. If the appropriations
ire delayed beyond the Ist Of January it will probably
Je several weeks before they passed, aud cor
delay will be caused in the action Of the
[etislature-all of which delays as experience has
hown seriously retard and embarrass the operations
# the Government Respectfully submitted,
ROBERT 4. HAWS Controller.