New-York tribune., 1895-12-29
TREASURER KEILEY'S REPORT
HE PLEADS FOR ECONOMY IN THE DIS
CHARGE OF CITY BUSINESS.
AN ARGUMENT THAT PERSONAL PROPERTY DOES
NOT BEAR ITS PROPER SHARE OF TAXATION

| AN ARGUMENT THAT PERSONAL PROPERTY DOES
NOT BEAR ITS PROPER SHARE OF TAXATION
IN COMPARISON TO THE AMOUNT
BORNE BY REALTY
City Treasurer John NJ. Kelley yesterday gave to
the newspaper advance copies of his forthcoming
report to the Mayor. II Is in part follows:
When / assumed charge OF this department
through your favor February l. 1884, found its
my predecessor:
Cash in the several depositaries selected by
the sinking Fund Commissioners to the -. 40 :,
To which las since been added
4G375 800 90
Making in ali to December 81 1886 SOL s,a,l4 ii
Payments b. warrants have been made dur
81 1855 .sis s65 600 rs
depotoes at the close Of business ;oday ssIs7aO4 90
The available balance now on hand consists Of the
! following funds:
ON account Of the levy Of 1895 for
spaca mlne aerani nu,posfs s,Ssh D and y 80
Hvaiaoe lor Municipal purposes of 1895 1890 81
Total ss.ls7COi 90
From this statement Your Honor will observe that
my estimate that a million tax certificates would
ninistration !, is fnny demonstrated for a we have
$4,000 in certificates falling due on December
= inst and fully $500 Of other blgatons incud-
ing the late election expenses and salaries long past
due. for which we have on hand but $1,000. TO be
increased by the proceeds Of the $4,000 tax certi
Gates advertised at time OF such financial dis
turbance that it may be difficult to find purchasers
Mr.. Kelley devotes good deal of space to the
discussion of the taxation OF personally and realty
and says among other things:
The theory that personally well as realty should
bear its just proportion OF the expenses OF govern
ment is practically nulliied by the operation OF
laws, which appear TO invite the one TO escape its
Just obligations. by providing no adequate means
for its enforcement. but does provide that. failing
in its collection II must ultimately be imposed the
already unequally burdened realty
As Your Honor is aware, taxation. within consti-
tutiOnal limits. which is more liberal than the chart
/ er provision which restricts to per cent on the
personay to be Included now Yields am nsu lse
cient amount for the increased obligations entailed
fore leaves no adequate means to provide for this
t6,10Go0 deficiency. We are now within less than
three million Of dollars 02,,s9 s6s COZ OF our borrow
ing capacity which will he Increased only 1894 Os 81
By the annexation OF Flatlands the lat of Janu-
ary PROV. and can look for small relief from the
proceeds OF bonds.
1t seems to me that the only remedy lies In the
mos; rigid economy consistent with its proper ad-
minisration in the conduct of every department Of
our municipal government so happily Illustrated In
Of the City Works Department by Alfred T. White
and the Application, !, Of Of specific amount annually
deficiency in a reasonable time Justice 10 our
burdened taxpayers, no less than fair business meth
oGs, demands that all unexpendcd balances at the
end Of each year should be rigidly turned into the
credit of the revenue fund.-. and not carried over
10 the creGt OF the various departments which have
been provided for without reference to those bal
ances In the estimates upon which the taxes have
been levied for the conduct OF the departments in
the succeeding year Carrying over the unexpended
balances Is Incentive to extravaganza which is In
frequently resisted. II this course pursued,
have doubt the revenue fund" could crcdit
sufficient amount annually TO extinguish the SIX
million deficiency In less time than II has taken TO
accumulate.
Part OF Mr. Keileys report Is given to scoring the
Republican Legislature for legisiatirg him out Of
Office instead of County Treasurer Taylor. He also
takes occasion TO speak in complimentary way OF
the condition OF the office books due to the skill.
1f hnt- hi nd h.
says also that he is Indebted 10 Paul +. jerks anu
William j. 'Nesbitt for capable assistance.