The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-07-24
SMALLER TAX RATE
Board Of Finance Succeeds
in Bringing About a
Slight Reduction.
APPROPRIATIONS SCALED DoWN
No Provision Made for the East
jerseys Temporary
Water Supply.
APPROPRIATIONS SCALED DOWN

Finance Commissioners Brautigam,
Kellers and Bailey held a session last
night which lasted until nearly midnight
The meeting was private one and when
the doors were thrown open the Com
missioners rather gleefully remarked that
they had finished their hardest work Of
the year.
They had completed the budget Of ap-
preparations to the severah city depart
ments. Owing to the kindness of Martin
Finck, Clerk of the Board. THE News
is able to present the budget TO its read
ers in detail today. Sweeping reductions
nave been made in nearly all branches
of the city government The contrast
between the amounts asked for and that
given demonstrates quite clearly that the
Finance Commissioners had armed them
selves with pruning knives before tackling
the estimates.
President Brautigam is a business man
and an owner of considerable property
On an economical basis he has made his
business a success, and he declared at the
outset. when the estimates were taken
up, that economy would be the motto of
the Board. The amount to be raised for
city purposes, as reference to the table
will show. is $1,739. .654.7. This is s44, ,549 10
less than the amount which had to be
raised last year. The saving is due TO
big cuts in. the appropriations and re-
duction in the city's interest burden of
S1l,S40. The falling off in the census last
year of about $4,000 children. causes a
net loss to the city of $40, ,471.79.
Even under many unfavorable condi-
tons Mayor Wanser is pleased to have it
known that the tax rate will be reduced
The present rate is $3.50 on the THOUSAND,
but this year it will be about s27. .S5 or 40,
reduction of ten cents on the thousand
The cut is not as extensive as the Mayor
had hoped for, but under the circumstan-
ces he is quite well satisfied, he says.
particularly when the enormous number
Of public Improvements which have been
made have been taken into consideration.
The tax rate will be based On ai9out SSs :
all purposes being g, 1876 $3.50. The grand
total Is less than last year. because the
s,rssholders have been modest in their
demands. The tax rate VIII be officially
announced some time in September
Ine make up OF the appropriations OF
the several boards shows in part the
cuts which have been made. The re-
guest Of the Street and Water Beard
Tor Sl00co0 for street cleaning purposes
was ignored and the same sum as last
year set aside The asking of $1,000 for
the reconstruction of sewers met with
q dssarproyals which means that the Bay.
Gregory and Eighth street sewers will
not be repaired this year.
No provision was made for the paw
merit OF a temporary supply of water.
The agitatcrs Of a full paid Fire Depart
ment viii be disappointed again No
provision was made for the paid de-
partment and as a consequence the Old
Buffalo" system will remain in opera
ton The increase in the salary ae-
count of the Board Of Education is due
cef i17r,S ,f ,,-1..,,.
made necessary by new schools and in
creased accommodations for pupils. A
sufficient sum has also been set aside
to insure the distribution of school
books free. Liberal allowance has also
been made for night schools
In the Board of Finance estimate al
loWance is made for the engagement Of
general messenger at the new City
Han. He will be paid S720 year, or
$50 month. The money for scrub
women is stricken from the Board of
Finance appropriation. for tipe reason
that the cleaning of the nonstrosity will
come Under The supervision of the City
Hall Commissioners.
The Police Beard was treated Eberal1y
bnt no provision was made for the IN
crease of Clerk Robinson's salary from
1.eG0 TO $500.
There viii doubtless be weeping ana
wailing in one or two branches of +he
city government by reason of the re-
0uced appropriations but the budget is
not subject to alteration. Mavor Wanser
has gone over every item carefully with
his Secretary, John Nevin and Just as
soon as this important document is pre-
sented to him His Honor will approve