The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-22
THE STATE CAPITAL.
Increased Appropriations Demanded for
the National Guard.
PR ESENT FORCES.
An Ingenious Bill to Seize City
Property Tor Armories.
o U r CIT Y ID e B 7 f.
Comptroller KelIy's Plan for Meeting Funded
and Assessment Bonds.
ANOTHER CHARTER FOR GOTHAM.
TpY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD. |

TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
ALBANY, March u, 1878.
The members of the Assembly Committee on Cities
have heard arguments enough this session TO deafen
alike their and their intellectual perceptions
All sorts from all parts of the State come here
at all sorts OF times with all sorts OF representations
10 press all sorts OF municipal measures. Tho COM
mtee sometimes sit in the early forenoon, again In
the afternoon, before they have dgested the hastv
luncheon which follows the Adjournment of the
House, and occasionally meet In the evening TO CON-
pare notes and views. New ork city bills OF course
engross OF tho time. This afternoon there were
three ugs before the committee on matters con-
corning the metropolis, one relating to the Metropo-
Museum oil Art the subject oil street CLEAN
ing and one Mr.. Days vouminous bill OF sixteen
articles and $50 sections 'to reorganize the local
government OF the city OF New York"
A REVOLUTION OFFICIALS
This bill is not only formidable in length, 1t Is also
formidable in intention, and some OF It's provisions
and the arguments in lavor OF its adoption have IN
spite OF rival bills and arguments profoundly i'm
pressed several members OF the committee. 1t abol
ishes the Board Of Estimate and Apportion-
ment, clothes the Mayor with power to
appoint heads OF departments without their
confirmation by the Board OF Aldermen, makes
most OF the city departments single headed and
shears away sundry important powers now exercised
by the Comptroller. According to this bill the city
Legislature is to consist oil two branches-namely,
Board OF Aldermen and Commoa Council. The
Board Of Aldermen Is to consist OF members elected,
from each Assembly district, each for
year, and Adermcns salaries are to
be reduced from 81, 900 to $1,000 The
Common Council is TO be composed FIRST OF the heads
of the several departments and where there Is board
nj the head OF department OF all the members OF the
board except in the case OF the Board OF Educatop
which is to be represented by pres
IdenL But department. is to have
than one vote in the Council, SO that
q department represented IN it by more than one
head divide Its vote INTO fractions. although any
of the heads OF department may be delegated to
cast its whole vote IN the Council.
CITY COUNCILLORS.
Six additional members OF the Council, not hoads
of departments are to be appointed by
The Mayor, and to hold office each for
three years. These extra members are TO
be called "City Councillors" ana liable to re-
moval BY the Mayor charges to be submitted by
him to the Governor the same manner the
heads OF departments may now be removed. Heads
OF departing to receive no extra pensation
besides their regular salaries Tor participating In the
Council. The extra City Councillors are TO be paid
81, 600 each year. and will act as commissioners
OF the Sinking Fund by virtue of their Office
cilors. Three sessions oil the city legislature thus
constituted TO be held every year, beginning on
the first Mondays OF January, May aud September,
each lasting thirty days. Extra sessions Tor partc-
ular purposes may be called by the Mayor, during
when sessions, however no business belonging TO
the regular sessions may be transacted
PROVIDING AND MEANS.
All the functions of the existing Board Of Estimate
and Apportonment are to be exercised under this bill
by tins local Legislature. Tho Common Council is re-
qured TO make an annual estimate OF city expendi-
for the following year, based esti-
mates furnished to 1t by the heads OF each OF the de-
partments, including the Comptroller, who must set
forth in detail every source OF expenditure under
their direction Tho estimate finally prepared by the
Common Council must include not only specifications
of the Ordinary and extraordinary expenses of run
ming the several departments, but also statement
OF anticipated judicial expenses, of the amount OF
principal ana interest Of the city debt that Will
fall due OF the amounts necessary
pay assessments property belonging to
the city, and 10 make up losses assessments OF
any KIND vacated during the preceding year which
cannot be ssed OF the amounts to be applied
io lie redenutiou of assessment bonds of deic A.
IN the estimates OF receipts and IN the estimates Of
personal taxes tor the preceding year. OF all other
amounts TO be raised by taxation, &c The estimate
oil the Council must also include a statement OF the
receipts INTO the general fund which may be apphca-
the reduction OF taxation In the ensuing year.
But the receipts shall not De estimated at an amount
above tue average OF the receipts during The i've pre-
cedng years.
RULES FOR THE ALDERMEN
Having completed ITS estimate the Common Council
is required to transmit IL by the 18th OF October To the
Board OF Aldermen III such a form a. TO exhibit the
aggregate amount assigned to each department
separately with such other Subdivisions as tho
Council may deem advisable The Aldermen
may then act on It, adopt ng any amendments
they choose, except that they shall alter form
OF the schedule as resented by the council Within
fifteen days after recev the estimate from the
c the Board oi Aldermen required to send II TO the
Mayor with an explanation which will clearly indicate
10 MIN the action OF each Board in respect to each
item. The Mayor may then approve or disapprove Of
any adopted by both branches OF the CITY lcgis-
iature. HIS disapproval may DO overcome by Two
thirds vote
HOLDING THr PURSE STRINGS
In respect 10 ltems upon "uIch the Common Coun-
Gil anu the Board OF Aldermen do not agree the Mayor
may TX the amounts between the figures ues gnatcd
by each OF the boards, PROVIDED that the total
amount oil the estimate, aiter deducung the
estimated receipts aud omItting the principll
nua interest OF the debt and State tax
payable The ensuing year, shall Dol exceed
limited number of millions of dollars to be specified
he estimate finally adopted is TO include coutD-
gent iund transfers from which Tor any purpose or
for the use OF any department can only
members OF both boards approved by the
Mayor. No other transfers OF the annual appro-
priauons decided upon sbai be made during the year
for which such appropriations are intenocd, except
from bureau TO bureau, or from Que purpose TO
another IN tue same department. 1t rs provided IN
the Dbl that at the cnd ol each year All uhexpended
balances oil appropriations snail lapse, except such
parts OF any APPROPRIATION as may DC required or tue
payment OF iaDilities already incurred.
These important hscal regulations having been pre-
scroed the D addresses itself in detail TO the matters
oi organization. as nrst designated The Mayor 10
be eleced ia the same manner and Tor the same term
as nov.
FILLING VACANCIES
In case OF vacancy IA his OLce or OF bis absence
more than ten uays tue President OF the Common
Council Is appointed 10 act Ia his place, nstead OF ne
PTesIdcnt o. the Board OF Aldermen. Pending his alb
sence Of ten aays less the Mayor may appoint
deputy, wbo, however, Is not granted leave TO APP
point or remove officer, sign or veto ordinan
or resolutions Alter the tenth Jay aud until thc nf
teenh oil the Mayors absence, the President OF the
Council may step IN aud exercise any OF the
Mayors functions The principal changes IN the city
departments as they are now constituted arc thus
defined IN the present D!:-
TREASURY.
The Conptrocrs or Finance Department
10 Gividcd INTO three departments, including
collecting department Tor tue collection
Of all public moneys aud dlsbursing
department Tor the paying out or expenditure II
same; each oi these departments Is have head
aud ia the Finance Department proper tne Comptroi-
Ter - To retain all his present powers, except those
aeesatcu 70 the departments vi collection and dis
bursement
DEPARTMENTAL CHANGES.
The Department OF Buildings rs 10 DC abolished, or,