The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-09
The City Taxation-ProPosed Rcduc-
ttOn OF the Years Appropriations.

The City Taxation-Proposed Rcduc.
ton or the Years Appropriations.
The taxation of the present year for the city
OF New York reaches the enormous rate Of
$40. We need not at this time criticise the
financial policy which has managed to burden
the people in this manner and to increase the
city debt some forty million dollars in less
than three years, while almost all our great
works of public improvement have been
brought to standstilL 1t is enough that the
evil Is upon us. and that citizen who owns o
house valued at ten thousand dollars will have
to pay three hundred and forty dollars for 9
years taxes. If we can tighten this heavy
burden it is certainly wise to DO so. At the
same time it is not wise to simply 'bridge
over difficulty, as is the custom now in on,
city finances, and to increase our eventual
embarrassment by piling up debt which
must some day be met. If we
can exercise rigid economy and
thus cut down our expenditures it is our
duty to give this much relief to the people.
There is still much extravaganza in some OF
the departments. Last year counsel was en-
gagged by the Finance Department to go to
Albany during the Legislative session, and for
many weeks this lawyer was paid out of the
city treasury the exorbitant fee of one hun
dred dollars day and from nine to twelve
dollars q day for his hotel expenses, the
amount being drawn by him for some days
during which the Legislature was not in ses-
sion at all. This year we find hidden away in
the City Record of January 90, where no per-
son ever sees it, the list of salaries in the
Finance Department for 1874, and among
other literally paid employees we find one
Examiner" at the modest salary of twenty
five dollars day, and another at four dollars
and half an hour, or at the rate of forty five
dollars day for a working day of ten hours.
These are abuses which should be summarily
remedied
Mayor Havemeyer now submits to the
Legislature two bills prepared by the Comp
troller, authorizing the reopening and revision
of the appropriations made for the several city
departments by the Board of Estimate and
Apportionment in December last. If these
bills be passed, it is said, the appropriations
can be cut down and the taxation lessened.
This is desirable, supposing the reductions to
be made In the proper places and not in
manner to still further cripple and hinder the
prosecution of public works and the improve
ment of the city. But why did the Board of
Estimate and Apportionment agree to need
less expenditures at all? Why did they not
exercise rigid economy last December, less
than two months ago? Especially, when the
Board of Aldermen, in accordance with the
right vested in them by the charter, did re-
duce certain extravagant appropriations few
weeks since, why did the Board of Estimate and
Apportionment oppose and defeat this economy
and insist upon keeping the appropriations
as they had passed them in December? The
Board Of Apportionment consists of the
Mayor, the Comptroller, the President of the
Board of Aldermen, MIR. Vance, and the
President Of the Tax Board, Mr. Wheeler It
would have been more satisfactory if the
Comptroller had told the people exactly how
and where the promised reductions are to be
made, and the Legislature should insist upon
receiving this information, and should so
frame the laws they are asked to pass as to
authorize the reopening of the appointments
for the especial purpose of the stipulated re-
auctions and for no other. There can be no
possible objection to furnishing this Informal
ton, and, by providing for the specified re-
auctions in the laws, the people will insure
the promised saving, and will not run the risk
of reapportionment only for the qualification
of that jealousy and envy among the depart
ments by which the city is SO seriously injured
and disgraced.