New-York daily tribune., 1861-01-05
,oUR TAXES ZOE 1854.

The estimates for the support OF the City aod
County Government of New-York in 1861 accord
ing to the report submitted BY the Controller lase
evening to the Board Of Aldermen, viii foot up
to 81, ,O52 64S, or 1894, l4l more than thosa
of the wear 1865. Deduct from this amount tho
income of the city and county, $466, 100, and
we have $40, ,730. .726 6S, to be raised by taxa
ton. The levy is distributed thus: ~, loo,6S ~
for State taxes g., 2,26s,767 for the support or
tbe Police, and County Government and 6,ol9.-
4O4 for the City Government, including nteress
on the public debt The Controller advises the
Common Council to scrutinize the items, and
see if they may be reduced without detriment to
the public interest Let us lock over the list.
and designate some Of the more extra'agant ap-
preparations.
We don't believe the city will require $350,0O0
worth of Belgian pavement; $0,OOO m oig
item for the Board of Health to swauows
$4,000 for cleaning markets, as at present per-
formed, is q swindle, the Offal and garbage being
left to rot in the adjacent streets, instead Of
being removed according to the terms OF the ap-
preparation; responsible offer having been mada
to clean the streets for lees than $200,0O0.
$500, 900 is q large estimate; City Contingencies
at S6O. 600 10 an excessive item, and unless We
are to have another Japanese reception, we do
NOT see any occasion for it whatever, since the
the Street Department takes $4,000, law
$40, GEO. City Inspector $25, 900, Mayor $35,o0d
Comptroller $i2,5O0, Croton Aqueduct Board
$4,000. making the total for Contingencies
| $166, 500.
&C kbnM nrfo ofcn
ated, are for advertising postage, telegraphing.
carriage, expressing, interpreter, messengers and
copyists, and for killing dogs, $35,OOO (or $780,
| coo more than last year, Salaries of the Mayor
and clerks $l3, O0O total $4,000. Oflate years,
| the expenses of this Office have increased four
| fold under Mr.. Wood; little curtalment might
| be effected Z" without detriment to the public
| service"
Deficiencies of taxes, in 1859, to be made up
| this year amount to 100000, large amount OF
which arises from remissiOns of taxes in behalf
| of political favorites BY the Common Council
This is an evil which ought to be abated; Charter
Election expenses S45 900, is just 5000 more
than last year; the Fire Department for salaries.
takes So, ,0C0; repairs and new machines, $780,
| 600, or $40 600 more than last year Ito soy no
thing of real estate, which foots up $4,000
more). Something might be done in the way OF
recognizing and cbeapeniDg this cumbrous de-
partment; il is yearly swelling it's expenses ont
of all proportions. The squalid little blotches.
misnamed parks, about the city, will cost $50, 600
to keep up, which is an increase of $4,000 upon
last year; for building two additional "parks,"
in Fourth avenue, between Thirty-eighth aud
Fortieth streets, $4,000, a charge which ought
to fall exclusively upon the property benefited.
| We don't believe 100000 worth Of new street
opening will be done this year; $4,000 for
printing and advertising for the Common Council
is about two-tbirds more than that business ought
to cost; especially when the printing of all the
other Departments is set down at 5000.
The subject of salaries needs thorough over
hauling. Let us glance at the list. Salaries OF
the Common Council and their subordinates.
| S74,55O Of which we doubt if the Legislature
| allows more than the salaries of the clerks and
subordinates. Department of Finance, 500 748,
Street Department, Ss4, ,SS7; Croton Aqueduct,
| S32,6lO; Counsel to Corporation and subordi-
mates, S2s,OOO; City Inspector, 9ll2, ,S63-a
wholly useless and wasteful expenditure, since
the sanitary police, at less than 1.-THE of ths
cost, have done the bulk Of the work of this de-
| partment and can do the whole much moro
| efficiently than it is now done; Commissioners Of
| Health, S4,25O, sinecures of no earthly use ex-
| cept to furnish places to political friends; I'M
safe Building Officers, $4,000; Assessors.
81, 1000; City Courts, $4,000, to soy nothing Of
| Fire Department, Mayors Office, and other
branches of the public service. What formld-
able array of salaried Offices, and yet they are
increasing in number and amount steadily every
year, till, ere long, every tenth man will hold
Office under the city. Repairs to our wharves.
piers and slips, are very sadly needed, but wo
doubt if quarter of q million of dollars has
ever been spent upon them in one year yet
Thus We have glanced at the leading items in the
proposed tax levy, and can only echo tho remark
of the Controller, that, I" In view of the large
''increase in the appropriations required BY this
exhibit, and of the present financial embarrass-
81 ment of the country" this enormous tax bill
ought TO be very naterilly curtailed.