New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-07
STATE FINANCES.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CONTROLLER
A PROTEST AGAINST EXTENDING THIRTY MILLION
DOLLARS IN CONSTRUCTING PUBLIC BUILDINGS
EXPENSE OF MAINTAINING THE LATERAL CANALS
PROPOSED PRISON REFoRM-INJUsTIcE on THE
TAXATION SYSTEM.
STATE OF NEW YORK, CONTROLLERS OFFICE,
ALBANY, Jan. I, 1876 \
To THE LEGISLATURE: In compliance with
the statute submit to the Legislature the following re-
port for the nscal year ending Sept 80, 1878
The rate OF taxation 1900 about four mills upon
the dollar the State valuation, In the Following h'e
years including the period OF tho war OF tho RebeoD
n had Increased 10 i've and one-Quarter mills. Every
since that date the has been largely In excess
of what Il was at any time during the Rebeion Ihat
the rate OF taxation should increase during the war IL
matter easily understood that should continue to IN
crease during subsequent reign OF peace requires
planation.
ORIGIN OF THE BOUNTY DEBT.
Tho State Bounty debt, amounting TO upward oft
OOOc0 was created by the Legislature Immediately aiter
the war; nCminay to pay of the bountes to the voun'
teer soldiers who enlisted the military service of the
United States during the rebelion hut only an ncOh-
siderable part Of this sum Is believed 10 nave reacneu
the soldiers who actually engaged In the CONTEST
the whole amount having been absorbed Dy cOun'eS'
towns and claimants OF all types OF character tho ds
trbution OF some parts being litigation to the
tax Of TWO mills on the dollar on the assessed valuation
OF tho State for the payment OF the interest and the re-
demption Of this Bounty debt at maturity In April 1877
EXTRAvAGANCE IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Following close upon the creation OF this Bounty debt
there was begun Che greatest folly Of our time) under
the authority given by tho Legislature the erection OF
various public buildings throughout the STATE without
any definite welconsdered plan as to their style auu
expense but their projectors secured appropriations
Ia~ n10ta
their needless extravagance, and that their ultimate
cost including furDture and equipment will not fall
short OF $3oOoOOOo The New Capitol the only one
OF these buildings that thought OF sufficient iul-
porance to be named 10 the tax leyy the appropra-
tons for all the others being without authority OF law
paid from depleted gener Il fund.- and from tho pro
ceeds of the two mill tax levied for the redemption OF
the Bounty debt, which was sacredy pledged TO that
object by the Constitution. Noreation whatever seemed
to exist between the appropriations and the tax levy
the appropriations far exceeding the tax each year. thus
embarrassing the State compromising ts credit and
parayzng business by reckless expenditures without
a corresponding revenue.
THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
The New Capitol was commenced under an estimated
expense OF 100000 and the asylums at Poughkeepsie
Buffao and Mlddetown under IN estimate OF from
400 coo to 100000 EACH The probable ultimate cost OF
each OF the In situations named will be from four to six
times the original estimate This state of facts has been
frequently made known the Legislature but the ap-
preparations continue to be made, and the people TO
wonder and groan under their constantly Increasing
load OF taxation. We have an asylum at Utica CON-
pleted and one at Ovid which will be completed. with
the appropriation made by the last Legisature the one
at Utica has ample accommodations for 600 patients the
one at Ovid for 1000 and yet neither OF these insttu-
tions cost more than 900 for the accommodation OF
each patient. With this fact In view. should we en-
courage the absolute folly OF expenditure OF $1,000
900 upon an intended TO accommodate only 400 or
500 patepts when the expense for house accomm0da-
ton for each patient will be at least $1,000 The details
Of cost and capacity of each Of the asyuos will DO here
after stated In this report.
The Legislature Of 1873 Appropriated to00o0 for the
Hudson River State Hospital, which was consumed In
maintenance and payment OF existing liabilities for ma
tera and labo and the work upon that institution was
therefore suspended and has been resumed yet Its
officers have rendered vouchers for tile payment or
architects fees since April l. 1873. during the time OF
such suspension amounting to s9477. There had been
paid for this service prior to that date over $1,000
AN EXPENSIVE ARCHITECT
During the OF 1873 the Governor, in pursuance
OF resolution of the Seuate, appointed an architect to
examine and report regard TO the character OF the
Elmira Reformatory and the Hudson River State Hos
pital for the Insane. Such examination had and
port made within ten days after his appointment; his
bill rendered therefor 1880 The Legislature,
with its usual munincence, appropriated the sum OF
S732 d In payment OF this bill, which amount was paid
to him. The managers Of this hospital being evidently
we'll satisfied with the architects report in regard to
that institution concluded to furnish him further en-
ployment as expert In bookkeeping, apparently to
able this poorly paid Official TO obtain at least sufficient
10 make good what the Legislature had failed to allow
him on his other account Below is copy OF voucher
rendered by officers for such services and rejected
by the Controller:
1874 The HydsOn Rirr STAT HoptaI TO r. Halted, Dr.