The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-15
THE COUNTY EXPENSES.
Freeholders' Claims Of
Economy Further Con-
Sidered.
MR.. M'GRATH SPEAKS FOR THEM.
And Replies to Questions Pro-
pounded by "The Jersey City
News"
OFFICE OF JOHN A. McGRATH,


Jersey City, N. j., July Is, 1889.
To the Editor of The Jersey City Nelos:--
Approaching the courtesy extended to
the Committee on Finance and Audit OF
the Board of Freeholders in the publica-
tion of your issue of yesterday of the re-
port of that committee, in which is en-
bodied the appropriations needed for all
county purposes for the next fiscal year,
etc. make reply to the comment and
enquiry which you make editorially there
on, thus
We have been told that since the recent trials
of indicted Freeholders q complete reform has
been effected and every expenditure reduced to a
saiutary basis of economy In the face of this al
legation it is claimed that the new estimates,
making all allowances, are many thousands of
dollars higher than those of last year, which are
generally considered extravagant. How is this?
We would like to hear from the Freeholders, or
any of them. or from their counsel upon the
point
The appropriations or estimates of last
year amounted to the sum of $671 200
Deduct therefrom what may be termed
the extraordinary items therein contained,
which you made reference to the other
day, namely:-Hall of records, $4,000;
appropriation for + and Record Commis-
sioners, $500; permanent improve
ments, $4,000, and foundation for new
lunatic asylum building, $4,000, amount
ing in all to the sum of S148, 500, and we
have balance for what we shall call
ordinary expenses remaining of $522, 700
for the year.
Now the entire appropriation for all
purposes this year amounts to 1856, $40.
Deduct from this the following items
not in last YEAR,
For additional expenditures over last
years appropriation, made neces-
sary by several recent acts of the Leg
stature e..................... IS. $1,000
Increase in salaries to provide for Di
rector at Large and members to be
1ss9............. ....'................ 1900
Extra expense for morgues morgue-
keepers and undertakers expenditures
for which are fixed by law and over
which Board has virtually no CONTROL, 5000
Increase in election expense, made neces-
sary by law over payment of which
Board has no control ol................... 1900
Increase allowance for stationery and in
dexing, made necessary by recent act
Increase for advertising, printing and w
publishing. made necessary to great
extent by act recently passed QSSO.... $500
Appropriation to County Board of Health
for Hospital for contagious diseases,
etc, under act of Legislature 1882. $500
Additional appropriation for Park Com
missioners expense under act of 1889,
over amount appropriated last year,. 1000
Appropriation for new county road bonds,
to meet interest onsame over that of
year.. .....,................... 1900
To meet interest on armory bonds, to be
issued under purchase of site therefore
ii,cfn mn mn
Increase appropriation for bridges and
culverts to meet expense of maintain
ing, repairing, &C., bridges lately
thrown on county, and to pay salaries
of employees and other expense of new
bridge being constructed over Passaic
River................. 1900
Increase appropriation public highways
to meet expense of road proceedings to
cost, expense of maintenance, &c. of
which ON the county have already been
taken but not complete; ...,............. 5000
Provision for back nay' of county
ployees under act of Legislature iss9. 1870
Expense of officer appointed by County
Register of Deeds to copy, &C., old
maps, expense of which Board of Free
holders must pay under act of Legisla-
ture OF 1889. 1000
Total OF ..............'......... 4,l70
You now have remaining the sum of
$511, 400 as the ordinary expense for the
next fiscal year, which, instead of an in
crease. make the ordinary expenditures
provided for the next fiscal year $1l, 300,
or less than those of the present year.
AS the report above referred to clearly
demonstrates, there are very few expend-
itures outside of the items to meet the ex-
penses of the county institutions at Snake
Hill, in which the Board of Freeholders
can practice economy.
You have doubtless noticed the fact
that while the entire amount needed for
county purposes Of every description, is
required to be raised and put into the
hands of the County Collector by the
Freeholders, about one-half of the whole
sum is paid out under the peculiar laws
relating to county affairs without their
control.
The comparison made in the report with
appropriations for the year 1878 was made
because that was the first year in which
the estimates were by law required to be
itemized and classed as in the report
shown. Previously the Freeholders made
aDDrODFiatiOn for all DurDOSos in a. IumD
sum. JOHN A. MCGRATH