The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-24
Appropriations for IS9I-o2
Made by the FinancierS
Last Evening.
SOME NOTABLE FEATU RES
Big Increase Over Last Year, but
Probably a Lower
Tax Rate.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES.

ID
yearly budget for the various Boards un-
der the city government The only per-
sons permitted in the meeting room beside
the Finance Commissioners were Corpor-
alton Counsel W. D. Edwards, Comp
troller Hough. Mayor Cleveland, and
Clerk w. G. German
These and the FIVE Financiers entered
the meeting at eight o'clock aud did not
emerge therefrom until twenty minutes
past twelve. During this interval. Com
missioner Cook. OF the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners. and repre-
sentatives OF the other city boards put In
an appearance and endeavored TO gain
access to the meeting room Of the Finance
Commissioners. Their petitions for adj
mission TO just say word or two were Of
no avail.
The "frozen out' officials ioitered about
the City Hail for about two hours, and
becoming discouraged. left. In the mean
time the Finance Commissioners dis
cussed the budget, aud at twelve O'Clock
every one was apparently satisfied and
ready to adopt it.
This was finally done by the unani-
nous vote Of the Board. The budget
was not discussed In open meeting.
The only other business transacted be-
side the adoption OF the budget was the
adoption of resolution presented by
Commissioner Kenny to the effect that
the President of the Board be hereby
authorized to have general supervision
and control Of all matters committed to
fha Roard and fha ravarol danarfxnan.o
thereof as provided in Section 12S and 129
Of the Charter of 1871. The next regular
meeting of the Board will be held
August 4
The figures of the budget are given in
fun in an adjoining column. They are
a remarkable showing. The Ffnanclers
evidently had hard time struggling
with the problem set them by the vari-
ous branches OF the City Government.
They seem to have made the best COM
promise possible under the circum-
stances.
y They were asked to provide s., 2sS, ,9s1
for all the Boards They cut this figure
down to &. oS4, ,259, and yet they are $780,
S44 ahead of last year in their allowances.
This is a big increase. II almost counter
balances the increase of five aud a half
millions in the assessed valuation of the
taxable property in the city. The tax rat e
may, however, be just little lower than
last year.
A big slice of the increase goes to the
Free Library Trustees. They get over
$4,000 in satisfaction of the judgments
obtained in the Supreme Court iu the
:. winter. This is to make up the defic-
iencies in the last two years allowances
But they only get $4,000 for this year.
Therefore there will be another deficit Of
over $4,000 to make good next year.
The Fire Department gets $4,000. No
body will grudge such part of this as goes
towards the reconstruction of the Depart
ment. But what is the meaning of the in
crease In the salary schedule for $4,000
to $4,000 Are we going to have paid
force at last? If, no, surely it is good
thing.
Where do the other increases come in
They are pretty evenly distributed.
The Street and Water Board gets
$4,000 more from street cleaning. This
is TOO little if anything. It gets 6.OO0
more for electric lights than the Police
Board had last year. 1t gets, besides,
s6,5o0 to improve Hamilton and Van
Worst Parks.
The Board of Aldermen gets an increase
of 900 over last year for election ex-
renses. This is just about half enough.
The Police Commissioner salary
jumps s4l 600 This seems enormous.
What does it mean? 1t gets 5000 for a
new hospital building, badly needed. II
gets sl2. $50 too for the patrol system,
good thing. IL gets besides almost s10,0 900
in minor increases. Seeing that it gets
$4,000 for new policemen, where does
that awful increase in lthe salary list
come ini
y The Board of Education gets altogether
$4,000 more than last year, all in small
increases. It has not been fairly dealt
with The omission of an appropriation
for night school cannot be too severely
condemned. 1t only called for 5000, and
the omission is absolutely wicked.
Tho Tax Commissioners get $1,000 for
extra clerk hire. Probably the new tax
law makes this fairly necessary.
The Board of Finance allowance only
increases nominally. It includes over
SIS. 900 of bonds to be paid off out of the
tax levy. This is money well spent
Phewl What cutting was donel
The Street and Water Board estimates
were dropped s90 600 The Board of Aid
ermen lost $4,000
The Police Board was cut 81, 400. The
Police Board seems to have pull.
The Fire Board was docked sl2, 900 for
the reconstruction of the telegr aph sys-
tenn. This is a pity.
The Board Of Education was docked
$4,000. including $4,000 on teachers
salaries.
All this Is only scratching the surface.
Study the figures for yourseifi They are
curious aud interesting.
Rather Hard ON the Prisoners