New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-03
poItficai NciireS.
Mayor Chnpins Statement the Taxpayers About th
TAX RATE.

Extracts from his Academy speech. Nov 1. 1889.
have read Of course the interest ne pr eines the
Republican meeting Of last evening. and have noticed
what has been by opponents during the Of
the campaign. They have abando3ef arzument,
they pretend that much hiss besn given
city and the city nee lei ali that has been given
IL It should have but they ATTEMPT 10
entirely 10 the cost Of his Gov
eminent without regard 20 what 10 !, giving him. Thsy
attempting mid way. renew the sort OF scare
which have seen try ionct the community
In past years
The speaker who gave attention local suoiecs
last evening spoke first OF the rate about which he
protested know nothing except that It would be terribly
high Now was particular. when was q candida" two
years ago not promise tho people that could eondues
their government without purchasing whatever was neees
sary at market prices did promise them that 80 far ss
It was within thu power Of in toe Office Of Mayor
70 control such matcIs the city should receive 100 cents
worth OF value for every dollar ths paid ou' That
promise has been kept and Republican orators d. not deny
that It has been kept, Any profession 81 ignorance BY
Republican speaker of the Of ia
norance which he ought not proud o. and which no
ought not TO be IN hurry exhibit TO hs citizens
The Board OF Estimate finishes its before the
first Monday Of July. When finished orr work lass
July the total amount Of the levy the totals
appropriations for each department prne every
newspaper in the ETY.. AMI became public in orna-
ton easily accessible 10 everybody. August
the Board Of Assessors make th1r report showing the
total valuation upon which the Is be based.
the two factors the tot levy and the valuation
which give the rate. 1t is example in arth.
metlc any would wish for been open to
any since the LIST OF August
There Is. perhaps. good why Republicans 10
attempt It. That is that these factors
give the tax rate and that is what has always
been understood when speak OF the tax Of the city
OF Brooklyn. You know that In detail each ward has s
rate. for reasons, Of which back u the
time OF the annexation Of WILLIAMSBURG and Of which
peculiar each ward Now have lived in Brooklyn
for years, and know that Republicans have good
reason to believe that the people might be sensitive about
rates. lived through the two years OF tho atmins
ration OF Mayor Schroeder In the first Of which tbs
average rate was 32 and in the second OF which tho
average rate 315 Ny political activity runs back
to the beginning OF the political activity OF exMayor Low
and remember when he dst elected in 1881 he was
hopeful that he promised the people low taxes II he
should be elected. But all remember with much dis.
nctness after he elected ha found he could not
fulfil that promise without deriving the city OF what 10
justly enue and he Therefore faced about AMI took
my Judgment the manly and proper course.
and attempted give the city what II needed but in
doing he also the city In 1885 tax rate OF 2r'
which the highest that had been known since
the administration OF his Republican predecessor Mr..
Schroeder.
So as say was especially careful years NOT
10 make promises which the experiences
had led me 20 believe not capable OF fulhlment
did promise them that would endeayor supply the
needs OF the city, II could find the means OF doing So
adequately than had hitherto been done.
Now since attention has been called especially to the
rate It is proper for in turn to call attention NOS
only TO rates Republican administrations, but also
to the that able during the first year OF my
administration 20 make the lower than IL had been
during the previous year. You doubtless remember thas
during winter submitted propositions embodyns
improvements which first submitted In messages.
and which the form OF bills 10 be passed BY
the Legislature. In the form In which those bills wers
at presented they provided for issues Of bonds out Of
proceeds schoohouses were 10 be built streets "ee
to rcpovcd and systems to be constructed Ihs
contention excited by the presentation OF those tls ["
familiar to YOU know that at first 1t urged GA
the mart OF the Republican party through its organization
that they defeated and that they would have
been defeated the assistance Of philosophical CLUE
zens who were also OF the Republican party and
who dsapproved opposition Of their party's official
representatives But in order TO them IL was found
necessary concessions, and the chief OF those con-
cesslons was that certain amounts should be put In ue
tax levy in order to make thesa bonding blIs aNHnoc'
Now when the Board Estimate did its work last juno
il nut I'm the tax levy the amounts which
we're necessary under the provisions OF these dis
Not have would have been substantially breach
Of faith with the gentlemen composing the committee
whose existence you remember whose members were
Republicans and which committee usually described
as the Citizens Committee. the Glib Committee Not
" have put those amounts In the tax levy would nave
been merely breach OF faith with those gentlemen
but it would have been breach Of faith with al the
progressive interests Of the city OF Brooklyn because.
although these OF the bills not In them az
originally them. had accepted them, believing II
better accept them than 10 permit VI
slow starvation. As result OF putting those amounts
in the tax levy the full "a all these bills Will ba
available for the Improvement OF the city during the yeas
1890
Now when we finished work also found thas
other matters which we In way controlled seriously
affected the tax levy. The Legislature. by increasing
the state and by providing for the construction
arnories local expense had aided s565ooo to our
burdens Ihave said that the rate last year was
lower than that 81 thu preceding year It's average for
city I'D. III we had Done precisely tnc SANS
this did sst year the state tax aud the aTmory
The SG rate 9ss 70 e0q Should 10 G eG L sSspRs OF se
from basis 6sn point, higher tHs9 N that ,s Of s,s es
G s aaT rs That bass Sow the other items
OF which ] speak and which were inserted for ts
b.. not .aeS an nsTSas az Republican attempted
Sns Scvo G s SsIs TO Ss S4 when
was Last ySaI ra5gea az IN WY Ss
Ward If it has risen this year as have suggested;
sS ha. the rate S for the @ wards would
eS 'P Se S G wad @ be higher than hal
q last 4. matter of fact It. VIII not BE- as high
we toncuS1 that certain items Imposed upon that wari
had ben Improperly ana my Des' es maze @
Instead OF being $40, 1t was last year. will be below
may conclude what have to say concerning the tag
,sx istc this year which is nxet by Republican Legs.
iage %s IN sane as IN o our rae May %eua o Se mc cs
S Of the SO lat y y.s Of % ayo Y lower ina" ''
people deludc what being done II fOund
In that made last evening.
That effort takes the form Of what appears 20 be
parisoD, but reality IL only half comparison.
referring particularly 70 the speech OF Mr..
w Rss" G e s9e Of his Which
sheer must OF course include hmself-1 find number
statements difference between the THAI
be paid and those that appropriated four
ago, called these half comparisons noe
full comparisons. II Mr.. Tenney had Just coming
manhood and be should purchase suit Of clothes for
him tailor tho tailor should inform him the
suit would cost $40 do think that Mr Tenney would
Immediately the and deelsim b the tailor,
because used clothes for the when he
little boy for sl0i But n he should do hs would do
In different direction precisely what ms did last night 10
discussing public aairshe gives side Of the account
only. lie says pay than did four years ago,
For example he says that In the appropriations d
salaries IN the Department OF Education there Is in.
ago In the BEGINNING Of his speech he esIsrsly com:
sufficient schools Tor the people Now this administration
has been endeavorng TO do precisely what according
Mr. Tenney it ought 70 DO and result o. what II
has attempted ia that direction the school buildings thai