New-York tribune., 1879-03-27
SALARIES OF OITY OFFICIALS.

SUMMARY OF THE MAYORS REPORT.
MAYOR COOPER IN HIS ANSWER TO THE LEGsLA-
TIVE INQUIRY DOES NOT ADVISE SPECIFIC RE-
DUCrIoNs, BUT GIVES COMPARISONS OF sALA-
RIEs IN DIFFERENT YEARS.
Mayor Cooper has sent TO the Legislature arepiy
to the inquiry addressed to the heads of the depart
ments of this city regarding the present salaries OF
city officials. The subject is creating much discus
sion among the various officials who Will be al
fected by the proposed reduction. Outside OF the
departments there Is a strong feeling III favor OF
large reductions of the salaries now paid, which
are in many cases without precedent. 1t
is claimed by frequenters Of the City
Hall that the Legislature will not make
any sweeping reductions, for fear,' as was said
yesterday, "of the political effect it may have"
On the other hand it is claimed that if large reduc-
tions be not made in the city salary list, after the
action taken by the Legislature on the salaries OF
State officials that it will be decidedly to the dis
advantage Of the party in power. The Mayor, ike
Mr.. Kelly, does not advise any specific reductions
or state how much less the appropriations for sala-
res should be. The main points of his letter are as
follows:
II appears that for purposes other than the pay.
ment5 of taxes to the State, and on account Of
principal and interest of the city debt there was
appropriated for 1877 $16,099,416 II, for 1873
$15,Sis, ,O69 10, and for 1879 $16,301, ,434 81.
About twO-thlTds OF these amounts III each year
were for salaries. Excluding all sums paid Tor
labor, by the hour. day. week. or any time less than
n month, and making allowance for error arising
from the difficulty of analyzng accounts SO as al
ways to distinguish between expenditures for ser
vice and material. and also allowing for salaries
payable from bonds, which cannot be promptly
aScertained, the total amount paid for salaries IN
1877 was 80, 500 225.
The salaries in the three departments referred to
in the solution Fire, Police, and Educatlon being
so large q proportion of the total amount of saa-
Iies ($712l 070), 1t is obvious that il these be eX
cluded from The general pau OF reduction referred TO
in the resolution the savings that could be ELECTED
would not be large percentage upon the total
The salaries of teachers III the common
schools are now fixed by the Board of Education,
subject only to the restriction that the eXpendi-
the Board Of Estimate and AppOrtlonment The
differences in the grades and qualifications OF
teachers would seem to make 1t ineXpedlent for the
Legislature to attempt to fix by law their resDec-
tive salaries. Ii the LEGISLATURE take any action IN
respect To this class of salaries such action in my
opinion should be confined to limitation of the
aggregate amount TO be paid for that purpose.
think that the salaries of the Police and Fire
Departments should be fixed by law. II the COM
pensation of policemen and iiremen should be made
dependent upon the discretionary action of any
local authority, the rate OF pay of the uniformed
force would become question in partisan politics,
and the men would be tempted 20 become actively
interested in local elections. Whatever may be the
difficulty in reducing salaries liked by statute oil
persons in office, IN consequence OF the consul
tutlOual provisions limiting legislative action III
respect to the compensation of public officers during
their terms in Office the salaries now liked by law
should be reduced TO an equitable and economical
basis as to officials who may be hereafter elected or
appointed, including members OF the P0hce ana
Fire Departments.