New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-08
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE REDUCTION OF CITY SALARIES


OPINIONS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF Az
PORTIoNMENT
The members of the Board of Estimate ana
Apportionment received letters on wednesday, from
Hamilton Fish, jr. chairman OF the Assembly Commit
tee on Cities, asking their individual opinions III regu
10 the reduction OF the salaries OF choOl teachers m
men and policemen In New-York. Controller Kelly s ar
.ycr sent Yesterday short and cOrTesp0nded win
his views as stated in THE TRIBUNE Of yesterday. He
wrote
These inaUries ne 10 my views relate to the salaries
Of the Police and Fire Department, which are fixed by
b law has pnt mndC the control OF the Board of Educa
ioa The question of reduction of the salaries OF these
departments involves grave CONSIDER aon ana 90 iV,
link II would be pro- for me To express an opu
In regard general reduction of The salaries aid 10
schoo-tcachers. policemen and irrmen, over which, rs
member VI the Board Of Estimate ana Aporuohhoh''
n such reduction were made think it should he done
with great care and discrimination. ana win cue cor
,dcrson of The public interests involved. No sweep
ing rcuctions of salaries he made iudciOusy ana
Justly in MY opinion II - the duty OF every Punt
1iietr 10 do ali in his power to reduce The eX-
,rnsgs of the CITY vCrmmeut far Is practicable,
ana az n member Of the Ecard 81 Estna,e ana
Apportionmcnt have always favored reduction OF
The appup iatOnS Tor salaries and all other expenses
over Inch the board has power Of regulation as
far in my judgment suca reductions can he piol"lN
made Tie estimates Of all The departments were large
Nv reduced for the years 1877 and s1~ II the LcTsa-
ture should thiEk proper 20 ci'thr 'e lo;rd 81 i-,
mate AID Apporionment with poNcr TO re inc" an TIE
salaries in tie CITY Of NewNoik, shau deem IL my
with due regard 10 the rests OF hc CITY, the just
of Cnpl1NCs Oi The city 10 i;I cOpchsd-
ton for their services ana without i2NoSh oi PAX
REPLY OF PRESIDENT ROBERTS
The Of W. L. Roberts, president Of the Board OF
Aldermen was also sent yesterday. He says ihat dur
ing the time he was a member OF the Mild aud NIllld
Congress- 10 which he elected by unprecedented MT
jorities his votes always TO he found recorded
against any scheme calculated to Pgn4er the pubic Dc!
present office expires hope To he able TO show no less
honorable and consistent record WISH nov distinct
a
member OF the Board OF Estimate ana Ap0rlonincn';
aud were | TO express q Ir'tcIercr, IT would
be that while continue member ct II "iil MOI be
required 10 assume increased rtHpD1Smdu's "nicA'
however urgently they may BE demanded IN ne inter-
esls of the public, would, nevertheless he painful and
unpleasant to There are several measures before
the gsaturc should much prefer to see pressed; one
Is am honest airport 0iuucn bin aud the other measure is
excise hi which Will meet The Just cemands OF I'D
eralmndcd, Intelligent and laW-2bidag people
TAX-CONMIssIONEE WEEELER's LETTER.
Tax-Commiss,o nor Wheeler The only member Of
the Board Of Estimate and AppOri no answered
afirmat.yely the specific questions OF Nh Fish. He
wrote:
THIS question is no new ono TO nc. As mera5cr OF
Tie Board Of Estimate and AWoriionmtni Ter now
nearly I've years have considered The subject Ill tGe
neht OF Ell the Information ~ command. and With
due regard 10 the various interests involved Alter s'h
consideration, my con.icon-icli2ewtSy arrived at
that proper administration of the affairs of tie cy
impcraivclY demands that tue salaries Of portion %
tuc police force and OF the frcmen should bereueand
also limited extent the salaries OF the school tFaG-
ors. That there may, however. bc no mistake on me
subject, desire 10 explain that these are MOI ~ any
which am Convinced should b. reduced. The part.cc
lars refrain from specifying only because yON 90 not
desire NV views IN reference thereto
In stating 10 my conviction rs = tie imperative
necessity Of a reduction OF the city salaries, iLculinS
rornn vi the police force ana OF the iieucr and Of the
school tCacutra il is right should add that Ia my iuig
cut tie reduction OF Tie salaries Of the latter officials
should not be dealt with ia captions manner There
mr. many members of the police force and many or TIE
Trc,"c AND OF thc school teachers who from Heir supc
rinl Urlit Their lOus and efficient services, and their
great ,Xpcriccc. are entitled 10 irccvOand 10 whom
an, rrc,aicd by tie influence OF my vote mcuhcr
If he a N, Il
salary equal Ia tie amount they present pttG.
Bat 10 viacc the superior and inferior IN merit on TIE
same foUuc-i member who has faithfully performed
his duty for years, and the appontce Of yesterday
Nv having each alike the salary Is not. as yicw
81. a proper administration OF the public Affairs
of The civ. The salaries 81 The police force AID al the
fremcn s!ould be graded and al appontccs should,
IL every instance. enter upon the lowest Etadr n the
salary attached thereto. How the sJjlic, OF hc iuCi-
yidual members Office should bc dealt with II
question dw not prepared t. answer. a. cach case
u,t satd upon ~ own merits AID should be deter
mined oniv after due inquiry.
Mayer Ey's answer viii b, sCnt to-day.