The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-05
City Improvements Should Be Pushed and
Enforced ldeneSs ObViated.
GIVE Us HONESTY In PUBLIC WORKS
Street Cleaning Should Be Done by Con-
tract ThoroughIy---Finlsh the Bridge.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
MAYORS OFFICE,
MEM YORK. Ian. A. 1873.


people. Since the year 1857 there have existed IN
tae adminis ration OF our local affairs various
legislative bodies the most prominent OF when
were Board o. Supervisors, a Board OF Aldermen
and a Board OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES known
as Assistant Aldermen. In addition to these
boards several commissions were, from time TO
time created by law, in each OF which were vested
combined legislative and executive powers The
results of this diyed authority were not satisfac-
tory, ana the legislative powers and duties OF the
Supervisors, Aldermen and Assistant Aldermen
have been concentrated IN tile Board OF Aldermen,
which now alone constitutes the Common Council.
During the period that the legislative power OF
the government was 80 divided the Common Coun-
ell possessed bur little influence In civic affairs. 1t
was vested with No authority whatever over some
OF the executive COMMISSIONS or departments, the
officers OF which had absolute control In all mat.
tiers relating to the particular purposes OF the
government With which they were scveraliy
identified, and each department. was allowed to
exercise powers having q more material influence
upon the we-bemg OF the city than had those
left the Common council ITSELF
This system, as might have been expected,
proved most pc nclous. The source OF the power
and influence oil the departments being the State
Legislature the city was governed AZ Albany and
not IN New YorS while tne common council OF
pass upon scheme after scheme presented by one
or another oil the departments designed to In
crease It's own powers and patronage. On the
statute book there evidence conclusive that the
officers Of the departments thought far more OF
the influence they could secure and the patronage
they coulo command than they did OF their Official
duties. They rlvaued each other IN jealous con-
tentlons and their zeal was most prominent In
promoting their own interests, while they over.
looked those OF the city.
the last remnants OF this system should be Grad
icated Recent legislation, while Implying the
necessity for sucn change Is deficient In the
provisions necessary TO secure It. In my iudg-
ment should be vested in the representatives OF
the people in the Common Council assembled, to
be EXERCISED subject to the approval Of TIE
the government OF the city. We require "nome
rule" IN all our local AFFAIRS. We can govern our
selves, and ought to be at liberty TO do 80. ERRORS
or wrongs committed can be more easily de-
tected and remedied here than at Albany. All
matters relating to the government should be
fully and freely disclosed, In order that the inu.
ence OF the public judgment upon them may be
the government can exist, To secure this control
your powers should De 80 enlarged as to make tie
Common Council the real source OF all legislation
with regard to our local affairs.
Although, under existing laws, the powers OF
the Common Council are far from being such as are
are am advised, sufficient to enable you 10
adopt such measures as Will lead to great improve
ment In our affairs.
The charter, section 30, provides that "whatever
provisions and regulations may become
requisite for the uller organization, perlecung
and carrying out OF the powers and duties pre-
scribed to any department by this act. shall be
provided for by ordinance OF the Common Council,
who are hereby authorized to enact such neces.
sary ordin ancesn Your action In the exercise Of
the authority thus conferred may be made test
OF the policy Of concerning still further powers
upon the Common Council in the government Of
the city, and the administration by you OF the
trust now connded cannot fail to have either
beneficial or injurious influence upon the future
management OF our AFFAIRS strict account Is
certain to De demanded OF you. 1t shall be my
duty to point out 10 you from time TO time the par
ticuar measures which. in my opinion II adopted
by you Will remove some oil the causes OF the pres
OF the depar iments in the past but the response
bil1ty Will be with you to enact these and SUCH
other provisions as may oe necessary to enable the
several heads OF departments, such an administra-
ton OF the affairs OF the city committed to their
charge as will lead TO greater efficiency IN the
future and reduction OF expense In securing II.
THE MUNICIPAL FINANCES.
What the liabilities OF the city really are I am
not, at present, in position TO inform you. Pub
lie attention has hitherto been directed prlnci-
palIy II not indeed exclusively to tnat portlon
OF the Indebtedness which has assumed the form
OF one other Of the various descriptions OF
bonds and stocks issued by the city. The lnforma-
ton furnished 80 me by the Comptroller Is to the
eject that this class of Indebtedness was, on the
31st day OF December, 1874 as folows:--
Payable from the sinking fund. So ssl. sss
Payable from taxation. =. 953s9,s9s
Temporary Debt
rayssIIe from ass, asgsessme nts szos5looS
2O,sa7oo
Payable from taxation of Is7i........... 27u7 500
Total. slA, 500 zss
Total. sIl5 ls7 $50
But, in addition to these amounts. there is a
noating debt which has been variously estimated
at from $l0,000,O00 TO $40. DOC, 900. Many of the
claims constituting this Indebtedness are In lti-
cation. Some-It may be many OF them-are
fraudulent and all such must be resisted. Those,
however, winch are not fraudulent, ought TO be
paid. II the proper officers Of the government
now without authority 10 adjust and settle such
which can be obtained In re ference TO this floating
Indebtedness shall direct to be communicated to
you.
The time has arrived when, in my Judgment the
actual financial condition OF the city should be
definitely ascertaned and published IN detail.
The taxpayers should be In possession OF the full
est information on this subject, and without such
out any practical measures OF erectual relief
Our revenues Tor the ordinary purposes OF the
government oil the city are from two sonrces-frst,
TAXATION and second, what is known as the gen.
eral fund-the latter being fund made up oil all
other moneys received by the city set apart By
law to increase the sinking fund. The largest
amount received from the general iund In any one
year has been SO, 100000.
Our expenditures are determined by the appro-
priations made by the Board or Estimate and APP
portlOnment, acting IN concert with the Common
Council. Appropriations are made annually ''of
the amour Is required to pay the expenses OF con-
Quoting the public business OF the city and county
IN each department. and branch thereof, and also
OF the Board OF Education"
The amounts so Apr opriated, after deducting
the general fund.- are declared by law to be the
sums TO De raised Oy tdXdCOn, anu IN
imposing this tax the Supervisors are authorized
and required ITO levy, In addition to the aggre
gate amount thereof, such sums not exceeding
three per cent Of the said aggregate. amount, TO
provide for deficiencies in the actual product Of
the amount Imposed and levied.r
While the entire amount Of the sums appr0pr-
ated Is expended for the purposes or requirements
Of the year lor by transfer OF any surplus to meet
other expenditures, IL may be, In succeeding
years. there are Deficiencies OF revenue every
year to meet these expenditures. For instance,
for 1874 the entire appropriations amounted to
First. the revenues OF the general fund, amount
ing to $3,000,000; and second, taxation, amount
Ing to S31, s22 39l. The sum added by the Super
vis0rs to meet DEFICIENCIES was $500, 425, making
total OF $32, 2l2, s1o TO be raised by taxation.
For the year 1874 we spent or will spend, the
entire Appropriation OF S34. s22, 391 The gem
eral fund viii contribute its proportion OF the ex-
ne nditure--S3 000, 000-but the revenue from tax
The taxes not payable, and are never collected
eli the fall Of the year. For the first this
the government Is carried on upon borrowed
snanex==nnrrnHed MON reXenne bon Dis In anIicl.