The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-04-18
The New York Tax Leyies-Mr. Little
iohu Right.

The motion made by Mr. LITTLEJoHN in
the Assembly on Friday that the tax leyies
Of New York city and county should hence
forward be settled by our Supervisors alone,
no more of them being sent up to the Legis
lature, is one that emphatically ought TO
prevail. The existing system Of leaving our
tax levies to the Legislature Is productive
of nothing but public robbery and corrup
tion. 1t destroys all responsibility for our
public burdens. and enables the men who
rule and plumber this unfortunate people TO
do their work without any danger Of being
called TO account.
The original estimates for the city and
county tax levies IRE usually taken to AL.
bany in January, shortly after the opening
of the session. They are kept there in per-
feet secrecy till near its end /; and mean.
while they are manipulated and doctored by
those who have an interest in making them
rich and productive. Ingenious devices to
confer power and pelf on the favorites of the
Ring are inserted In them swindles preg-
nant with wealth to individuals are hidden
in the apparent vagueness Of skilful yer
biage ; and at last, just on the eve Of the ad.
journment, the iniquity is produced in
the Legislature and rushed through under
whip and spur. No opportunity is given to
examine and amend the provisions Of the
bills. Their passage is necessary, and delay
is impossible. The instant they are passed
the Legislature adjou rms, 30 that the Gov
ernor must either veto the bills and stop the
wheels Of our city government, or else he
must sign them, and sanction every fraud
that they contain.
Thus they are forced through, without
responsibility anywhere because no one can
say whether 1t be the Supervisors who
framed the first estimates, or the Comptroller
and Mayor through whose hands they
have passed, or the Legislative Committees
in whose custody they have been transformed,
that are answerable for the various features
of the acts as they finally appear before the
public.
Now all this would be altered II the duty
of fixing and determining the amount of
our taxation were left with the Supervisors
as in other counties. Then we should know
who had done IT, when il was done and then
no such rascality would be possible as is con-
tanned in the following section of the county
tax levy that is to be brought forward in the
Assembly tomorrow:
IAN liabilities against the county Of New York
Incurred previous to the passage of this act shall be
audited by the Mayor, Comptroller, and present
President OF the Board OF Supervisors, and the
amounts which are found to be due shall be pro-
yided for by issue OF revenue bonds OF the county
Of Npr nay ahl Vffu he Nd tla
Board of Supervisors shall include in the ordinance
levying the taxes for the year 1871 amount sum
Such claims shall be paid by the Comptroller to tho
party parties entitled TO receive the same upon
the certificate of the officers named herein"
Here is proposal to give three men the
power TO add millions to the debt of this
city, without any check or restraint. These
three men can pay the million that the pas
sage Of the TWEED charter cost, and nobody
can know the reason why; they may give
| millions away to their favorites, and the
people will have no power to prevent 1t. A
more enormous abuse of Legislative authority
than this proposition contains was never
heard of, and yet it is q fair specimen of the
villany that constantly Turks in our tax
levies as they are managed at Albany.
The attempt Of Mr. LITTLEJoHN to stop
this sort of business, and refer the subject
back TO the Supervisors, the immediate
representatives Of the people who have to
pay the taxes. was defeated but we can
never have honest government in New York
until it is the law. Besides, 1t is the only
system that is truly democratic ; and for that
reason it should be adopted