The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-12
TUESDAY, JANUARY II, 1869.
Municipal Expenditures ana Taxation
I'm PhiIadeIphiR, New York, and


ments of the United States have increased will
wonderful rapidity during the last quarter o
q century. The leading cities raise large
sum by taxation than is required (except FOL
extraordinary purposes) for the maintenance
of the most expensive State governments, and
the citizens Of New York pay for city, county,
and State purposes a larger sum than was
,xpeuded forty years ago by the National
Government. Making all due allowance for
extravaganza and corruption, it is evident that
a large portion of this expenditure has been
neoessitated by rapid growth and imperative
reouirements, and although the expenditures
have increased in much more rapid ratio than
population, this result could scarcely have
been avoided in view Of the new demands Of
Schools almshouses, prisons, pavements, pub
Lie buildings, and police cause sad inroads on
CITY treasuries yet few sane men will deny
that all appropriations necessary to maintain
these objects Of municipal solicitude in an
sfioient condition should be made. Large
cities could not long retain, and they certainly
could not rapidly increase, their populations,
If they did not present marked attractions and
safeguards; and burdensome taxes, from which
rural districts are exempt, are indispensable
20 the existence and growth of the great bee
hives of humanity.
The fact that great cities must annually ex-
pend sums of money that would have startled
our economical grandfathers, for useful pur-
poses, is no excuse, however, for extrava-
canoe and corruption. 1t should rather warn
taxpayers of the necessity Of supervising
more closely the management OF municipal
governments, and of ensing in this branch
of the public service superior class of Off
cials. There cannot be too much prudence
and wisdom displayed in etfoit Is to prevent the
sxactiens, which must inevitably weigh
heavily upon taxpayers, from becoming in
tolerable.
An instructive comparative illustration Of
municipal expenditures is presented by the
reports of the Controllers of Philadelphia and
New York, and the message of the Mayor Of
Boston. Whatever we may think of the
financial condition of this city, it is evident
that in some particulars we need not fear a
comparison with our neighbors. The amount
Philadelphia is called upon TO raise by taxa
ton for municipal purposes in 1869 is IS, 622, e,
726'77, and if we add to this the sums paid in
various forms by our citizens to the State
Treasury, the aggregate would not be
much above $lO,0OO,OOO. In New York
city, the amount levied in 1865 for State,
county, and city purposes exceeded
$A 900, 900, and the estimates for 1859
exceed $2l 900, 900; 80 that New Workers. are
called upon to pay at least twice as much
State and city tax as Philadelphisns. Boston,
which now claims population of two hun
dred and fifty thousand inhabitants, levied
during the present financial year State and
city tax of So, SS4, 500. II the taxes of Phila-
dslphia were equally high, per capita, they
would amount TO nearly 100000 per
annum.
contrast of some OF the items OF expsndi-
ture fully accounts for this difference in the
aggregate. Philadelphia, for instance, re-
quires for the Department OF Public Schools a
little more than 81, ZOO, 600. New York city
appropriates to her Board OF Education more
than 5000, 900. Philadelphia appropriates
to her Fire Department $ll3, 700, while New
York gives to her "Metropolitsnn Fire De-
partment 1907, ,94e. The Department OF
Lighting the City receives here about half a
million Of dollars, while one OF the items OF
expenditure of the Street Department of New
York consists of the significant line Clamps
and gas, $l,053, 205," or twice the amount
spent for similar purposes in PHILADELPHIA.
The Department of Street Cleaning receives
in Philadelphia $l2j 400; In New York the
sum of $4O5, 420 is awarded to q Street-clean,
ing Commission. The Department of Public
Charities and Correction receives in New
York 1898, 900. In Philadelphia the sum an
proprated to the support of the Aim shouse
and County Prison is less than 100000.
AS the accounts OF the various citiea are
kept under different heads, it is dificult II
make detailed contrast Of all their items q
expenditure. II is evident, however, that tn,
departments OF Philadelphia are managed Will
much greater economy than those of Nav
York, and that our citizens are compelled I,
raise by taxation only about half as mucI
money, per capita, for State and munioipa
purposes, as the inhabitants Of New York an,
Boston. This striking difference, however
prevails: here the burden of taxation fall
almost exclusively on real estate in New Yorl
and Boston 1t is almost equally divided be
tween real estate aud personal property. Ii
Fhiisdeiphis' municipal taxes are levied o.
more than S4oo 900, 600 of real estate and lea
than *lo'ooooOO of personal property. Ii
Boston the tex rate WA ,o,,;o, ,HFy -