The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-28
Fake Attacks on the Budget,

Friday at noon.
Fake Attacks on the Budget.
BY an extraordinary process of falsi-
ication, the great New York fake
sheet arrives at the conclusion that
the Jersey City tax-levy is 1926, 600
short of the sum requisite for the city's
needs.
Yesterday the burden OF its song
was that the appropriations were ex-
travagently high, that the taxpayers
were being robbed to provide the city
officials with spending money for
political and personal use.
1t might puzzle most people to show
that the appropriations were too high
and too low at the same time. The
average intellect would be slightly
embarrassed by such a task. But it
is nothing to the special fakir and
prize falsifer Of the World. He ac-
cepts the situation eheerfully, and
each day stultifies his utterances of
the preceding n with the most re-
freshing grace and ease.
Among the amazing discoveries he
makes this morning is this that there
will be a shortage Of $4,000 in the
estimate of the railway tax. As the
State pays Jersey City S209, 900 this
year, and as the estimates for next
is 1896, 900, as the fakir himself admits
that the tax next year will be at
least $225,000, it is at first sight
hard to tell how he figures out the
1886, 900. But a little examination
shows that he takes a large deficiency
which accrued this year on the rail-
way tax estimate and adds it to the
deficiency which he chooses to specu-
late on for next year and by a process
Of reasoning which can only be ex-
planned on the theory OF pure malice,
sets the aggregate deficiency of the
two years down as the prospective de-
fciency for next year.
1t is. we should think, unnecessaryto
dwell on the absurdity of this process.
1t would be just as reasonable to take
ina deficiency in the estimate of 1889 or
1885, or any other year, and call it a
deficiency In next years budget. If
this years shortages are to count
against next years budget, why not
last year'sa Why not those of the year
before? The shortage in the railway
tax of this year remains in fact a mere
theorstic deficiency. But take it how
you will, it is no more a deficiency in
next years budget than it is in the
budget of 1875.
We are inclined to think the estim-
ate Of the railway tax has been placed
too high. 1t is true the corporations
have bought enormous tracts of real
estate all over the city, 1t is true
many buildings and other improve
ments have added vastly to the value
Of their property taxable under the
State law. But we believe the Finan-
ciers were over sanguine in reckoning
on an increase of $50, 900 in next years
tax. We doubt very much whether
the amount the city will receive next
year will exceed $3.50, 600. This, it is
true, would leave a considerable
theoretic shortage in the years estim-
ates, but the amount of it would be
trifIng in comparison with the sun
Of $780, 900 which the World fakir SO
unwarrantably sets down.
We think the fakir is right in say
ing that the street cleaning approprI-
alton is So, 900 short, and that the
City Hospital will need S., 900 more
than has been allowed it. He is right
also in saying that the appropriation
for Fire Department claims is INSULT
Gent, though he is wrong as to the
amount of the deficit. He places it at
s25. 900; probably s15, 900 is about
right.
He next alleges that the appropria-
ton for teachers salaries is $25, 900
short. This is a gross ex~aggeration.
Even il the new schools were ready at
the opening of the year no such sum
would be needed. Many teachers
will be transferred from the IAN
now open to the new schools,
and a comparatively small number OF
new ones will be employed. As the
schools viii not be ready for some
months these will not have to be paid
for an entire year. and it is more than
probable that s10,O 900 will cover all
the shortage that viii occur in this
account
Then comes the hackneyed item of
$4,000 in the Public Library account.
We are well assured that this nominal
deficit will never have to be made
good. The Library gets this year