New-York tribune., 1873-12-17
A FINANCIAL SLOUGH.
CONTROLLER GREEN ASSERTS THAT DEFECTIVE As
sFssMENr LAWS THREATEN TIE CITY WITH THE
loss or NINETEEN MILLIONS.

CoNTROIIPR GREEN ASSERTS THAT OBJECTIVE As
srssMESr LAWS THREATEN TIE CITY WITH THE
LOSS or NINETEEN MILLIONS.
Controller Green sent a letter to Mayor
uayemc ,er las. week Ia relation 10 the great deficit in
tho City Treasury caused oy the custom OF advancing
money for street improvements. repayment OF which
was avoided by residents along tic line Of such streets
by appeals 10 the Conrs, wherein judgment was almost
Invariably giyea their avor OWING to the loose man
ner In which the so.smelt laws drawn. In tho
letter. which YVES made public yesterday the Controller
asserts that than 50 oo00 Is now dne he CITY Tor
assessments for mproy Of private property ana
also the city hi advanced soO00Ooo moro for in-
proyoncnts not yet completed.
Controller Green wrote as follows 30 the Mayor;
There IL a subl,ot Of special importance connected
with the ilnancrs the city which cannot TOO earn
money IS neeei 10 meet tho OF the cisy ma
turing efcr to tho method =" proviuing money ior
the public Improvement of the clti 20 thOoe arebu!
executed ard PAL for OF the City Treasury rs weil
,nOse unuer agl prJeOtoi' nuch as opening, tA
tending. ana "ideDng streets; Ia,nB on, urunios, ,,
bouleyurds. parks. and puolic places oonsrao.,nS
,,,ttrrIn@ ni Raging tho streets and avenues
This cas py ,,r,.mmt has besn yery extensively
prosecuted within few years past ,nd aa TINS .is
there Is due 10 tue city or ns'c'sments & from p''p0'
benefited b. them over sJ.0tl0jJ, as .oioHt
log on. svenoe, p,ris and pabIe l3
For for cknsis grading sdsrg pN o,o ooo .,
inS' fisSns And seHents''''
,. oit ~ ne CIV
HIS iiTsU SAN has Dtch hANinpou p.' -
Treasury Tor toe benefit OF private owner, OF PropIt
aud ~ now due TO tho city py item III aihoa 80 ns @
amount OF asseseiueniI remaining hnpaiu W. C'.J .s
expended over $lODOH0 on street Improvements Ioi
which ssosStno - been vacated ~ he C"utts
IL has also dy.nceI OyUr SOyN00 more Tor uipr'.e
mcnts which have not yet Dorn comp etcu, au" wi
whiGn assessments nave yot been tIi Oh ,hs p'"P
erty benefited. Toe city, therefore, has hctudip ef
pondsd for iproy enents over SoOOlO)O 10. tne ooe
private pTOltrty OF Nhica Suoust over s'VOVpa ao
represented by assessments which should nave ocoh
long snec paid. out wlcn arc not paia ~ No =, vIsN"' h @
tLa. II the Of the properly bentheu w WI.
prOvenlBut5 winch this LARGE sum mas ocon hssso',
w0dld promptly pay wnaL tiey Jdsty owe. M m 80 d
bj ample means In the treasury to nhcos '' M ~,
upon It, aud 10 20 forward Win oher hoocss.ry pun.
works. Tho payment OF these a0sih os sbo'.u ~ on pn
forced Tho Courts nave many instances ooru nsu 'no
medium Ufsxruptiug property IRON mo
Ger ain lawyers make ~ "a tr1io W ~" 49,,
Td OF paying these assessments. lnIb 10 uo"o ~
iersstolt c.foft ~ Albany 10 evhlin anu i'n ha '
laws against sno interests or tho cify anu o o %
payees. that gFoInd may Do laid ~ dou,''u hau
ambiguous language fOr Ihvsuls anu % %uo,S,
Attempts have been maze ny vner3 y. "oncy as!
10 clerks aud suooruinatcs ~ tic.nlsto '',,s
business. THO lawyer gets TSn'fr pV''"".s-.
from the owner the amount vi the asscss
Inent, generally about IS cent, contitiohou VIZ" M
gottiuz II vacsL0l Tal3 tie owner ses tu ., vi
whole assessueut. tho lawyer Gets IS por con. o ~ u
tho city 0sos lao whole amount advanced Inere ~ W
reason why tao taxpayocs slioaid pay tnesd ~ ~hsss,
f private property. Tnr yIlo of too loss increAseu
by tyc inproyom snf, aud tns owner OF tho property
should pay for IL.
Tho Controller then argued shat II was tho moral dny
sf eyery " rspsy to tho city the maasy "Aoa