The Jersey City news., 1891-07-07

We lay before our readers today ad-
vance tables of the estimated ex-
penses of the City Government for
the coming year, with various ex-
plantations of and commentaries on
the figures. The article will be read
with great interest by all taxpayers.
The figures are official, and presume
bly, wholly accurate. The News, as
usual, is ahead OF all competition in
furnishing them to the public.
Ii will be observed that the esti-
mates for the current year are in the
aggregate only about $3.50, 900 larger
than the amounts actually allowed
last year to the various departments.
This includes s34, 900 of arrears to the
Free Library trustees, but does not
afford them their full legal appropri-
alton for this year.
OF course S430, 600 is large increas e
but it must be remembered that the
Board of Finance will make huge re-
auctions in it before the budget
reaches its completed state. Probably
every department will suffer some cut
ting, and we would not be surprised if
the final result were only about
500, 900 more than last year.
The largest apparent increase in
any boards demands is in the Street
and Water Board; but this is more
apparent than real The Board as
snmes several expenses such as the
care Of parks and public buildings
and street lighting. which were here
tofore under control of the Aldermen
and Police Commissioners. A glance
at the lower half of the table of the
Street and Water Board estimates
will show how much the increase con-
sists in expenses of which other
branches of the government are re-
lieved. One thing we do not under
stand is why the Board should ask for
$4,000 for repairs to schools, while
the Board of Education puts in a
large demand for that purpose. We
regret TO see that the old borrowing
policy for the street cleaning fund is
to be kept up. This appears to us a
serious mistake.
The increase that ought to be
viewed with most favor is that re-
quired for the purchase of new appar-
atus for the Fire Department This
is the City's most crying need at this
time. The amounts set down for this
purpose foot up s16950. 1t is money
we'll laid out. The Board of Finance
should allow every dollar of it.
Besides school repairs and the fur
nishing OF the new buildings, the only
item OF increase in the Board of Edu-
cation estimate which has any merit
appears to be thar S., 600 for an even
ing school. The only fault this has is
its absurd inadequacy TO the needs OF
the community. 1t is a disgrace to
Jersey City that its work ing boys and
lads have no night school.
Even If the Board OF Finance shonld
allow a very considerable increase
over last years appropriations, the
tax rate ought not TO exceed last
years figure. The Board of Freehold
ers, we informed our readers yester-
day, win fix their budget this year
within s., 600 of last. With the enor-
mons increase in the valuations of
property all over the county a con-
siderable reduction in the county, tax
rate should result. The city valua-
tions are also greatly in excess of last
year. We believe the increase in ap-
preparations will be proportionately
not greater than that in the vaIua-
tions, and if this is the case the gross
city tax rate ought to show just such
reduction as the county rate may af-
ford. At any rate We believe we are
safe in saying that the tax rate will
not be greater than last year, and in
congratulating the public on that
gratifying point