New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-30
CITY GOVERNMENT COST.
VIEWS OF THE COUNCIL OF REFORM.
1HRTY-FoUR MILLIONS TOO LARGE SUN TO
SPEND ANNUALLY.

The Police Commissioners yesterday appeared be
fore the Board of Estimate and AppoTtionment and
presented their provisional estimate for the ex-
penses of the department for 1854. The total
amount is $3,s79, 263 II. The amount asked for
salaries is So ,36S, 1872 Al This estimate includes
"a captains 152 sergeants, and 2,572 patrolmen,
proyiding for an increase of captain, sergeants
md 100 patrolmen and 2 dOormen. For supplies,
etc So TAP 10 is asked for salaries of the cler-
ical force, $4,000 for laborers, cleaners, steam:
station-house lodging house. ETC., for Twenty
eighth Precinct, $70,000 for rents 81, $50; for
alterations and repairs, $4,000 for altering ana
fitting up Union Market for the Eleventh Precinct,
$4,000; for contingent expenses, $1,000; iOr
Bureau of Elections, $l63, 400. The entire amount
allowed for the present year is $50, 426 100, co,,
A communication was received from the Oolnh-
mittee Departmental Expenditures OF me
Council of Political Reform, L. a. Morrison chaT-
man. 1t sets forth that because of p0htlcal ue-
mands on the heads Of departments the TequisltGiS
of the latter are always excessive, ana are S'taus
increasing year by year out of all PTopoloH 20 %
growth of the city. Ii in evidence peloIe Iie
Senate Committee of 1851 appointed to investigate
the public affairs of the city, that pore man one
third of the public money was tltjlor Was.eu W
fraudulently spent. The memorial continues Ill
substance: - -
"This Council has attempted for several years
mast To meet the obligations imposed by law on
ritizens tn Influence proper appropriations by your
Board by presenting estimates founded on GaIeiul
inquiry into the proper COST 0t or liz sst two
years il has varied its practice from somewhat
general review of the departments TO an ekamlna-
al "
order that the fact of these exaggerated estimates
and excessive expenditures of the heads OF the de
partments might be reduced TO ademonStratlon by
facts that could be easily verified The Park De
parfinent selected for such an illustration 1t
was shown. from official documents wholly. that
this department had been spending for several
years past three times the sum that the same
amount and kind of work has cost on private
places parks and cemeteries IN the vicinity OF the
city: twice the amount for which the same work
was better done in 1877; three times the amount
that three of the most intelligent and experienced
commissioners that have ever had charge OF the city
parks certified sufficient for these purposes.
We showed from reports furnished 10 MS ny the
park officers of all the large cities in TINS country
that are maintaining public parks that the fafk
Department of this city has spent for the lasl tee
years for maintenance per acre eghI times HloIe
than the average of these cities; mIeen Units
more per for salaries ten times more per acre
for labor: that il has spent 1--WE ana nan times
more per acre for maintenance than was spent DN
Brooklyn for better service. IT was shown lhat
corps of engineers and aTchtectS We're ,ShPoIeu
costing the city S}7, 900 year, while all the en-
gineering and architectural work OF the parks lad
long since been completed; that S4oOUoO mas oeel
sl,cnt Nv the department in surveying and mapping
The Twenty-tliTd and Iweuty-tOuTth Wards, the
most of which had been done on contract Tor one
quarter of that sum more than twelve years ago,
and that engineers of the highest standing have AS
s,lred us that this work should not have cost more
within two years. Whatever influence this showing
may have had on the Board, II effected far smaller
reduction of appropriations Tor tins department
than the facts presented called for.
1t is clear, then, if these statements he correct,
that some other and better evidence should be fur
nshed that $:}4 100000 is annually required to
govern this city than the acquisitions of the officers
who have the sole discretion in spending. And If
citizens can throw light on the case, there Is no
recourse left but that your Board, by an independ
ent inquiry, should become informed of the real
necessities of the departments. The scrutiny INTO
the accounts and operations of the departments
may add somewhat TO the duties OF the members of
your Board but any other duty could he better
neglected than this. If S3lOO0,000 is every year
TO he wrung by law out of the incomes of the people
of this city, simply for carrying its government
there should be UNREASONABLE evidence that this
sum is absolutely needed and honestly applied
This sum produces per capita tax five times as
great as that of the General Government with all
the enormous cntaihnent Of the Nar-a per capita
tax far in excess of any other municipal tax IN the
world. 1t compels rate of taxation equal to more
than one-half of the Investment value of money,
which keeps out of the reach of taxation the largest
part of the enormous amount of the personal prop
eTty of this city. 1t increases rents and the cost
of living and labor 10 drive large percentage of
manufacturing and the great producing and con
servative middle and labOring classes beyond the
limits of the city. This of S3l.000,0O0 is go
for every man, woman and child of the city's popu
latiOn, which is more than One-ifth of the average
income of the labOring classes who are indirectly
and at last its principal taxpayers"