New-York tribune., 1869-06-04
THE LEGISLATURES AND THE TAX LEVIES

NewYork City and County Leves and OF the efforts
OF the Association to keep those eyes "ithh ouoi"o
proportions together with the result upon 'nc 'Ae
the current year.
The estimates of the sums needed to carry the City
and County Government for year 1859 drawn mp
by Controller Connolly and Acting Mayor Conan after
statements furnished by the different heads OF depart
ments, boards, and bureaus.
The total sum which the Controller and Mayor Conan
80 estimated necessary be raised by tax in this year
for all purposes OF local tO9 996 u.s. OF
this the greater part or S564 GO was already es
tabshed and confirmed tax upon our city by virtue
Of previous laws for State taxes City and County war
debts and other debts and interests, metropolitan com
msssan, established charities, &C. &c. but the balance,
or O6 was for such current expenses of local
government as might be diminished increased; and
therefore this latter the real subject OF dscu
sion and contest by this Association and the ocedS
our local government during the past session az Aoay
OF this amount o6 was recommended Tor ne @ or
by the Controllers and Mayor Comans CITY onnty
budget and $l,442S45 for the county III theH '''
It's proper 10 state here that in making up the & eS
mates. Controller Connolly and Mayor CONAN ivs S citv
greatly many items Of expense when Inn, c tbe aggrs.
officials applied for thus materially reducing tno An
gate amount This Association, tiltes u from the Con
iroer Immediately caused 10 be made: J. a ,5f cImPree
Mat repalrs and alterations were needed m
them An investigation Of the cOndluoh OI lao puDt0
An eysTinat ti0p Of the number and the duties OF All
persons drawing pay from he Pc9S and S Short made
tie Investigation Of all tho matters for winch these
large were "a oS 3 p1eseISd @es aT to 6@ 19 for payment
with the object Of asceranng II they were just ana rea
The result Of these aborous investigations proved to
the Association that about two millions OF the SIX mn
inp. deuaudpd we're unnecessary and would be spent
without yielding real benefit 10 the people o our city
Upon this the Association prepared @ Two Sc sgpaIetG ara
ing an exhaustive dissection OF every item OF he TWO
o n1S be pncd for the information G the cg
ure that member Of the Senate or Assembly mght
vote ieuOrantly on these important measures. Inc
counsel Of the Association tnen proGeeueu 10 AipaS'
aud arranged in the Senate aud Assembly Tor tH near
ing before the Committees OF each hOuse' " "ho 'o
estimates referred. ,. A.. - q,
Along with these estimates, or budgets there were IN
trOuccd into both Houses by the city ana county OF
ncials :wo drafts Of proposed acts authorizing the ts
called the Tax Levics" and are usually prepared by
the Controller But TINS year ne diselaneH ma, maVs th
Comfy Tax lew framed as TO authorize the is
sPnToved and also the raising Of additional sums for
novel purposes. The counsel OF the association IN tDe
arguments before the Committee oi the SENATE, pfompy
exposed this fraudulent device TO double the Controllers
estimate, and in elaborate arguments convinced Ine Oo
mec that even the original estimates were e9eesslvt'
every item being taken up IN succession ana ny Nehu
The COMMITTEES Of the Senate consisting of Senators
Crowley. Creamer, Palmer, Banks and kennedy soon
Ives and recommended reduction OF S557,904 in the
City Levy, and Of s5i5S97 IL the County Levy recon-
,,ended the repcal Of former laws giving dangerous
@ &c VI @ poTeoTs designed TO prevent the repetition
Of such wasefu expenditures as those for ArmoTes and
the Court For this report the Committee deserve
Inc thanks of our citizens. When the report to be
acted upom by Senate the members OF the Committee
and Senators ODOnne, Folger Hale. Parker Stamford,
Morgan, Humphrey, Nicks, Williams Thayer Campbell,
and Chapman, sustained the report; The two leyies
were passed without important alteration and were sent
othe Assembly. In the Assembly, they were referred
to the Committee of Cities consisting OF Messrs Gleason,
l., Bau, Summers, Richmond Hodges, l. Campbell, and
The Association by its counsel appeared before this
service rendered by the reducing the sums
much sti adhered to It's original plan and urged the As
million. The majority OF the Committee Messrs Glea-
son, La Bau, Richmond. and Summers, reported both
levles the Assembly with recommendations for fur
ther reductions in several particulars Tins report for
ats regard the interests Of city stands unparalleled
in rectude in the annals OF the past seven sessions OF
The Association was conscious however that the last
struggle Of the officials and others interested in increas
Han Who had complained in letter to the city news
papers few days before lhat sutnelent money was not
plans expenditure. arrived In Albany and estab
able PERSONS holding office in this city had also taken up
their abode at the Capital and horde Of anxious and 50
quarters Of the city officials and the legislative halls
which was secretly matuTing-tO have new tax levies
prepared, filed with items Of large amount nearly
the original estimates Of the Controller, together with
new items for OBJECTS 81 % ana R1TPose G SsGr @ nf & % 0
saure place OF the moderate ones already there and
we're to pushed through without opportunity for ex
animation under the OF the previous question
Almost at the same moment the Association became
aware of danger 10 the taxpayers Of city from
another Quarterthe Canal APPROPRIATION act for extra
ordinary repairs and improvements Of the canals and
the state Supply bill The address here the la
bOrs Of the Association in securing reduction OF the
other schemes for depicting the treasury aud increasing
axes On lhe afternoon OF May the City Levy was
called ND in Assembly The Clerk had scarcely read
the first paragraph. when A. b. Hodges, a Republican
member from Wiliamsburgh, Kings County, rose and
produced one Of the eyies from his desk aud
moved that be substituted for the one then being read
Mr. Hustled IN the chair ruled him out Of order but Mr.
jacobs, Democratic member, also from Kings County,
seeing his associate Hodges had committed in
sfanty moved the levy be added amend
ment TO that the House This beng in order
put to the vote But the friends of the plot had not cal
culated on energetic taken 10 defeat IT. The
vote was had and the amendment was lost Both leves
then ordered instantly 70 thlfd TeaunB, without
alteration increase.
County Leyes called up In the Assembly for their
third reading and hual passage Again. as tho Clerk had
barely read the te Hodges rOse aud producing the two
eves, offered them as amendments TO the Ds be-
fore the House and of all debate rcmOnstrance
prevent examination OF these secret eYles SO
person but the trainers knew II they contained
two millions twenty the previous question was called
Upon that and upon each succeeding vote majority
OF the Assembly voted Tor the secret leyles
W W. Campbell, Walker, Gleason, and Aaben exposed
the nature Of tue wrong thus 10 DC perpeated III was
plain that Irresistible influences had been used with
O the very VINO had promised to stand TO the orig
ANAL eves.
msnfully for the bills as originally reported from the
Committee. The OF these Assembymen 70 be held
grateful remembrance Messrs. W. W Campbell La
Ban, Hustled Selkeg Gleason, Alaben. Walker, Tutte
Tiiden, j. b. Pearsal Mcleod, Barsc, YODglOye, An.
ureEs. Arms Ayery Ba3sett' 2otalt' Gha1e, Baker
rrOn, Dimick. DOOte, T. ElyW. NJ. Ely Clifford Gleun,
f"md, HacHett, Hawkns, Hix0n, Hongn HUI Kendall
Kelham lasher, Mitchell Perry Q. Ray. Richardson,
Root, Richmond, L. L. Smith, n. B. Smith, Truman,
Weed, and Wright.
On the other hand, certain Republicans headed by Mr.
Hodges OF kng in despite Of every appeal and every
warning assisted by their votes asen upon the people
secret leyes. The OF those Republicans should
here recorded for the information of all persons who
Bemus Philip II. Bender, Abbott c. Cakins Wesley NJ |
Carpenter George Clark, Hugh Conger, Henry NJ Crane
John Ferris Marvin Harris, William w. Hegeman, An |
drew y. Hodges, Henry Ray, Charles b. Rich James o.