New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-02
APPROPRIATING MILLIONS.
BILLS LIKELY TO BE PASSED BY THE LEGIS
LATURE
now GOVERNOR HILL IMPOSES A HIGH TAX
RATE ON NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. MONEY
FOR THE oAPIToL-A STATE
PRINTING BUREAU.

frpox THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRIBuNE)
Albany, March 1.-The Senate Finance Committee re-
NAMED here after tho Legislature adjourned on Friday
and listened to the views of tho Capitol Commissioner
Mr. Perry, upon the various bills which have been
introduced making appropriations 10 continue work
upon the new Capitol. In Of these bills Senator
Chase Of Albany proposed to appropriate S2,6oo'OOo
TO complete the gigantic building. In another biz
Assemblyman Page, of Albany, suggested an appro-
priation of 81 100000 for the structure. But
the senate Finance Committee has conservative men
in the persons of Senators Sloan, Erwin, Sheard,
saxon and Fassett and therefore they came subsan-
tally agreement that Senator Chase's appropr1a
toE for the Capitol should be cut down from $4,000,
600 to s5oO,000 Half million dollars will 80 far
toward completing the beautiful stairway at the west
ern end of the Capitol aud to complete rooms IN the
same end Of the building.
The total amount of money expended in the con-
structlon of the Capitol up to September 80 1900,
according the state Controllers report was $685.
6T7 go Since then the Capitol Commissioner has ex-
pended upon the building about 100000 additional
with the $500 900 which the Senate Finance Committee
proposes to have spent upon the building by Septem
Der 30, 1891, or By the time the neAt
Legislature there will have been expended In all upon
the building the sum of $1926s,677 50. Undoubtedly
the building when completed will have cost little less
than 800, 100000.
The decision resp :ctng the Capitol appropriation
throws further light upon the probable total appro
priatons that will be made by the Legislature and
the probable State tax-rate. Concerning the state
taxrate there is this to be said that the Legislature
and the Governor for several years have imposed upon
the taxpayers an unnecessarily high rate OF taxation
This has been caused by the Legislature leaving in
the Governors hands upon adourning large number
of appropriation bills, but previous to adjournment
fixing with the Governors sanction
state taxrate as though he would sign
all these bills. In the year 1880 Mr.. Hill
consented to a State tax-rate thus based upon
the total number of appropriation bills passed by the
legislature many of them yet unsigned by him, ana
then cut out 81 800 00o. But the State Tax-Rate
bill had been signed already by him. so that thlS
action of lis compelled the taxpayers TO pay 81
100000 more than was necessary for them 10 pay
for the appropriations which he and the Legislature
had actually made. Mr.. HIPS satellites are calling
for an adjournment of the Legislature in April, with
the object of repeating his performance of 1889 He
pEnly wishes arthcally high State taxrate estao-
lised by hasy adjournment of the Legislature, ana
then will turn about, veto large number OF APP
preparation bills and then pose before the people
of the State ms an economical Chief Execntlve-with
eye upon the fall elections and the possible cleo
ton Of Democrats Legislature.
Certainly we should adolrn In April If we have |
completed work sad senator Sloan few days |
ago. but i, for oae opposed to adjOurning the !
Legislature abrurtly and leaving in Governor Hills
hands large number Of appropriation bills. We |
have fallen into bad practice Of late years of not
having the State taxrate correspond with actual
appropriations 1 opposed to further contlnu |
ance Of that practice both a representative of the
voters of the State and of the Republican party. |
What do we gain with voters by adjouning the Legs
latIre week earlier than usual IL have imposed |
upon the taxpayers Of the state 81 100000 of needless
taxation7 2"
The Senate Finance Committee, might be ex- |
pected has had TO make additions to the General
Appropriation bill, which is tie measure in which
included most Of the expense accounts Of the depart
ments Of the State Government, Of the asylums prisons
and refo?matores. The bill 1t left the Assembly
appropriated 0,1423o6 81. The Senate has also to
act upon Assemblymsn Dush's bill appropriating |
100000 for State Printing Bureau. 1t is estimated
upon good authority that II such bureau Is estab
lished the cost of State printing will be increased to
700 yearly. State work is always dear work
witness the State Capitol. The laboreS employed by
the State is usually appointed through political nHu
and he is too likely not 10 work hard fast
as he does for private boss. Any inhabitant of
Albany during the period the Capitol has been under
construction will be able to testify that the great cost Of
the building has been mainly due to the fact that the
State employed the stonecutters and Other laborers
upon it, and that IL the work had been done by con-
tractors its have been at least one-thrd
less The state laborer wished proong lob he
four days doing the which should have been
done in one day. And political influence protected
him from being discharged when he was lazy II NAV
be predicted that State Printing Bureau would bring
TO Albany large number Of typesetters with po-
DeIOle, tnc cost or the
State printing would be run up yearly to at least
100000 At present it costs about 81 900 yearly
and the coming year the competition between the va
rous printers promises to bring it down to 100000
and perhaps $4,000.
The Senate also has in its hands, ready for action
upon it, the bill Of Assembyman Acker appropriatng
S454 900 for State care OF the pauper insane In
both the Senate and the Assembly the bill has
been passed approprating 100000 for the ordinary
expenses and maintenance OF the canals, the bill
appropriating S447, $40 for the canaldebt sinking
fund. The Assembly Canal Committee has reported
favorabiy the Canal Unions bill appropiating
100000 for frightening the canal locks and deepen
ing the canals. The Legislature has passed and the
Governor has signed Assemblyman Aspinalrs bill ap
propriatng 100000 for aFnory for the 23d Rcg
ment Of Brooklyn. There has already been appro- |
pated also 100000 for repairing the buildings
aged by fire at Clinton Prison, and $4,000 for the
purpose at Auburn Prison. Undoubtedly also
the Legislature will pass Senator Stewards bill appro
pratDg S25o000 for the Worlds Fair at Chicago a
bill appropriang 1900 to complete the work of the
Commissioners of Statutory Revision, and bill ap-
proprating $4,000 to pay the awards Of the State
Board of Claims. People will be surprised also II the
supply bill which contains large number Of extra |
appropriations does not contain usual appropria-
tons amounting to at least 81 100000. 1t would
SEEM therefore that it be predicted that the fol-
lowing appropriations with perhaps the exception Of
the state Printing Bureau BILL will be made by the |
legislature
General Appropriation bill...."..".. S9,1i2 800 81
state Capitol SSg90N0 w
state Printing teoo 0909 ~
state care OF insane 49dQVU w
sd Regiment Armory 800 900 90
state prisons d.o'oW W
s sasi cy 6 gsyisiOn 5 56Soo 90
supply 100000 90
Total. siS 742 $40 OF
The State tax rate for 1890 was 34-100 mills.
init fha |