New-York tribune., 1896-12-25

S1EINWAY & SONS. I07-lll East Iatn 81,
NEW YORK.
nve nve members: i,ichmcnd five members The term
of office OF ali members IL to he three years
FINANCE
In the matter of finance the committee nave a."
hered closely the financial system OF th' 81. "
New-York. This appeared to be goou Ju"s"''
10th because by such action the convenient "
majority of the citizens would be oonsu',e' '''. "
also because this system has been worked n out ~,
the city Of NewYork by long years Oh c]dir,i"uiar
has drpariirc from this rule been made hass as.
the present charter o tnc csy ,Dncnt % urepare Il
provisional estimate OF the annual expense % ,arj
ety. submit that p,oyiso"n "a witn such suggestions
os thnv may Gaze TO mahr The Board Of l.stmalri
ana o nai nnf I' az h"y q" see it. Whatever
thev may do ,hc iinal estimate IS acted upon ; a,,'
,",r, In mis- particular il falls in better with th'
general scheme Of the charter prep",o" hi ol giv"s
to the Board of Estimate and App3r',9nna,rts, On, Az, ,n
same duty IT,, o. w1,pE ,Ng When rnsiited
the Municipal Assembly,. VIII be act.d poi , -, "f
S9dy wlthon d "lS hS Nunipal A.
semby have the right to cat ""'m & n> IL nov to
not 10 Increase any ten nor 10 '''"'h' IT, "'
In the matter Of th' collection OF AR t,cdod over
,he whole city. That is TO gay a arrears o LII H he
and
enforced by a TAX sale Of The lease instri" o. ~
80 Of tho fec ~ is the case in frooS'n.
DEPARTMENT OF TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS
For the same reason the Department OF Taxes
and Assessments hss bcon retained upon the iines
Of the same Department In the present city OF
Ncw-York. with no other changes iran appeared
20 NJ necessary 20 cnahir the Department to cope
efficiently win the increased Eagnitudr OF ne We
rioborl with which 'Noy VIII have 70 deal ana 70
afford "A hearing in each borough on AL questions o.
disputed assessments within convenient rrach ol
aso troTde ,hst thd ctizen may make payment OF
H. xc. in the borough OF his residence Careful pro
vision Is also maSe 20 secure equality or n'Fessr'nts
anA of TAXATION in Ill parts Of the new city
CIVIL SERVICE.
4 civil Service Commission has been created FOR
the greater city on the lines Of the present aw.
and The examination of candidates for admission 10
tho police force as III al other Departments mas
been assigned to that body
MUNICIPAL STATISTICS.
The Mayor has also been authorized TO establish
IN his oifre Bureau of Municipal Statistics. which
i; is expected without ans great expense TO IN"
city, Will he able TO systema2c the statistics of the
various departments and to give such Information
to those Interested will cnablc The Greater New
York To contribute to The science Of sociology and
Of good city government all over the "or!d
THE TAX or lsss
ono matter of great difficulty has developed in
connection with the study OF the charter. The
financial system of tho present city Of Ncw-Nork.
established ia 1913. compels the cy TO borrow
money for the expenses of the city government
from January to October l. The tax that BE-
.ones coleciibe or October is the tax for The
current year In Erooklyn and in all other p9r;s
of The TERRITORY % rho Greater NewYork the IA.
nox Ss dnsTms rs " /" M otner %ords in oer to place
the present city Of New, York as to ~ isxcs on
he basis as the other parts OF the terrltorN
20 he consl rdated with II on January !. lsH II
W. To- the pr.s.n, city 81 New York ci her levy
in thar scar TWO years taxes IN one or 10 lrornt'
i"a,jy impossible to levy two years ,axcs in
i'm iho present city OF Ne~-York. and II all Of the
ng capacity Of The Greater New;lork. as limited
10y the margin between It's actual debt & nd nd l It's heG
loss. IN the judsmenl o! ne commttee mn & the the
cnt city Of New-york is therefore. as hipossbIe
as ths Other III & ,Hr 1ny way yorE m rgn
he made harmonious throughout All partf OF its
territory. far as taxation H. tCne'rl"i. IL 10
Greater New York outside of the territory Of the
present city Of New York Ihi, omission howcV'r.
will not add ary additional burden to me taxphyers
Of 'hc present cy, By hs mems IN" treasury OF
the other paris Of the territory % The Greater
iies the tniire amount Of the iax OF 1891 levied on
those portions of hc greater city. his amount ne
o'r, uarH isN TIE sh@rc Of the presen, city Of
Ncw-Ycrk Of the expenses OF the gTcaier g ci'S i0r
irTH nr 'fm1 fhrouch the tax ievy Of that year the
,itv treasury will receive IN money the present
city Of New-York's contribution TO the expenses
come payable on all parts of The Greater New
York for the expenses of that year i}y the draft
Roard Of Estimate and Apportonmeni in 1899 to
correc, any inequalities that may have arsen by
iaxes Of ls.s were levied. II any part Of the city
receive rebate in the tax Of is2' II any part oi
the city has raid less than its share for i'S. ina.
,.'1i tax Of Sae Tn~+c d4c+ M: I~ remarked are
81 haHcd npon the prop9sion tnai tne % Sh"rs'r po o.
vided ny existing law. on January i@s II IS
also 10 he noted that n" city Of NfwNorE n,d as a,
pay II consolidation had not taken place. neither
does any portion of the greater city escape rom
any part Of iis share OF the common hur"ch.
THE CITY DEBT
IN the matter Of the debt of the various COM
muri;cs and parts Of communities united under
the charter of The Greater New-Ycrk it is made
nccessary by tho requirement of IN" la" under
which the Commission acts in order TO bring
about uniformity Of taxation for Th" Greater New
York. to assume all the debts OF evcrN character
throughout ihc territory concerned a. charge
upon The Greater New.Y and. similarly to
carry out all IN" obligations Of the several sink
ing funds, without impairment and all the re-
Quremenis OF the d"bt Of every rhar"srr AZ
ments for benefit are retained in al rarts or the
had taken place. Al other debts are assumed
by the city al large and will be DISCHARGED by Il
as though they were originally its own oh!@ations
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.
There s naturally a diversity of opinion IN thc
committee upon this subject. From original
and ideal standpoint il IS easy 10 see that the cit!
would become the recipient Of vast revenues by
the ownership and operation of all franchises for
lighting by gas electricity. ard for trarways
ard other purposes necessary 10 the life and bnsi
ness OF "A metropolitan community. and exercised
largely by use OF the streets ana avenues
bclonginE TO the people. Nor could any one well
deny the right and power Of the people 10 ON
bark in such enterprises. II the subject were u2
originally. IL was I'm Glasgow and in some or
the new cities OF this country II could easily be
treated upon first principles. in The Greater New
York however. private capital has. upon tho Iaiih
Of the State. embarked largely In such franchla's.