New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-02

VIEWS OF PRESIDENT BARNtN'

,nn1rrovN, BURDENS IMPOSED on CITIZENS or
NETWORK BY THE GREATER NEW
YORK CHARTER.
! ,f,or tho Commission appointed 10 draft inc
! charter for the Greater New-York had cohpl'''p
re- work sufficient 20 enable II 10 issue advance
| comics President Barker Of the Tax 'eP"''"' a.
s,b,itted 70 the Mayor his opinion in regard 10
| the draft Of the charter, ~ that time MADE
pubic and among other criticisms MADE resi-
dent Barker said.
! Tho most important question affecting ne ''Ieatc
CITY OF Ncw-York Is that OF taxation O",,I, ,i ~,
nix the consolidation Of the erritory IN question
ment and originated IN me minus u, " - T,ro The
sitst~ citizens. in their earnest desW' 10 49, 49,,
city of Network show a population iar ID eN'eS'
o. If THIS Consolidation produced such an effect
T Tden' Which, they would ind difficult 20 PEAR
then objection could nave DeeI i etion II be-
came atparent that heavy burdens are 10 DC %, h
I ~. taxrayers Tor the privilege Of living IN he
~ re %ewyork then the matter becomes seri-
| Gus import ana the question arises Who'"'i "
should be- finally approved. ., - orof,
Wien the Commission was appointed 10 dralt
The charter for the city. and the porOusn "a
overcome tEe objections of taxpayers II Wa zen,
orally believed that such Il cohcth hrDn grodnally
| reached and opposition 10 the scheme t'"u""''
The drafts Of the prqRosea5 S5%f That nq 2he obe
lions of the taxpayers Of TINS Guy nav r o 10
| M and overcome. ana lItIr u 49, /
PercG 70 fbey Viii not be overcome and mis- city
VII be G41a ar go ercentge Of that winch pre-
cnt is levied upon the territory WHICH 1t - P'0''
70 TIM Ioroneh system so it applies TO AKA
uon and will not include the general taxa
tio made for the purpose of meeting the EXPENSE
NJ The city government. This II Is prop9rfi,u, ~
,rlct by a general taxation Of all the territory.
with a single tax rate apphcaue - an ,S6rrcughotif
part of it, the same a. - no" uon'e W',rVort
| two Il wards OF tlt 'itF %
wbile in Kings county Brooklyn. separate rate
As the tax @ rsePt in KP Ing c n44 OF 2YHs News
% % rsoiires not students OF mathematics 70
demoustrate that with single TAX Itle 3 Non
10 bear viii b. much less than II IS 2t presIl nt
while the present city Of New YORK VIII "' ANU
| ted a largely Increased rate.
ARE THE TAXPAYERS PREPARED
II is questionable whether the taxpayers OF TINS
civ. with full knowledge Of the real facts
| ri,, them iu the face are prepared FOR a
! rr,,hor Of wears to come put their hands deep
In th,ir rockets and pay out honest money Tor
the cmptv honor of being resident OF the' Wh'I
VIII then be- Greater New-York.
The proposcd system Of taxation IS clearly
rank Injustice TO this city and it is more repro
| ",,,i i,,sp,ucb as a system might have been
| Ic,.sed which would have protected the itA-
! ney Of This city from unjust burdens. The
| prrSS'ased borough system Will. therefore. be Il
| failure so far taxation Is concernieIH - IL Is
| event ana IL is probable when properly uhGeI
! stood by the citizens Of this clV 'h'' " VILE
| The election Of members OF the borough. l'
establishment OF borough houses win thSlr gan.
Upe an" the wide distribution of public record,
from central points OF sate1y r to thrm liable
! - he lost or destroyed present objections 10 we
TAX H ei me EXPENSES Of the new system, the
| duties of which now dlSchdrEcu pl "'n. ~
departments ana by experience" e''''''
oi I2ndSr the proposed charter there is no Plan
vb"Ie real estate proposed to be included IN the
Greater New-York. The question OF the elu,aI"di
one mat has interested the best minds through-
out the entire civilized world. and with the prop
ZEN me yJ proposed charter does give the basi,
or th process to equalize the value OF lands ana
imnrovements of New-York city proper WIN
those of Brooklyn staten Stand i.ohT ,s hirg
CIV and the broad acres Of Jamaica flushlhg
Until ths problem is solved by the o eSmm ibsrc
obonId he considered "a system of taxation which
ii it had been considered ana enc r,, tE,.
mnSi serious objection which the taxpayers OF
'i,lI b c systnm that prevails in the city of Brook!
lvr to-day under which each ward III that city rs
niic,ble To- thu Greater city Of NeW-Nork Tor al
leiSt ,ern. ~ yas adopted providing that the
tax laws at present in existence III tnr en-! %,
NcwYork, the Goun,i@s o. hii, r5rnai3 orerar
for - term Of years a great objection to con-
soldauon would be- met ana c,ty of NewYork
ia. ctv of Hrooklyn Long Island city and the
outl,,in.- VILLAGES including Staten Island. would
,Ic6 have lis own tan rate, each paying INTO
IN. citv treasury The amount necessary lvr 'nt
expenses of its own borough government ana III
thr same manner contributing assessments Tor
its own Improvements. ~, ,,
Under such system the city OF NcW-> ork "oul
moi be- called upon to bear the burdens OF othet
ul,c.s and this system should continue until the
groWth OF the anne Xed territory was such thal ny
the conversion of farms INTO building lois, the
erection sf huiiing- and the contamination or pub
| NJ. improvements would 80 cqualiZo the compdrd-
rive values az al tine rcu estate in the new CIT!
| that a single TAX rae might hr assumed without
prejudice TO- any particular section thereof
THE BROOKLYN SYSTEM
The ward system of assessing for the purpoSa s
Of ftxat.on which has prevailed In Brooklyn for
many years gave ersa satisfaction 10 the tax
payer, II enforrcs an assessment upon the real
ana personal property OF each ward in conformity
with the amount ~ expenses incurred in parth'u-
| Lar ward Oh account OF the public Interests and
| neccssite- for maintaining H. No ward was called
! upon I'D ray any portion ~ the Indebtedness iol
| naintcnance II any other ward There are JUST -
! ami equity N such system II 81 vas successful
| in the several wards ia brookyn me same system
would unl0rhteiV he equally successful u applied
10 tho con.o dated city To impose lpon the city
Of New YORK fha 10 share Of Tho lle' ~ main
| teanuce co. o,l.r places. or ~ compel this city IN
nav an portion thereof is unjust dlscrlmina-
ion agair.t he civ ana 4, violation or ihs prn.
cipes Of taxation. NHich provide tNat the burden
! Of taxation shall oo equally Distributed
The Taxpayers of his civ vii not submit 10 any
such dlscriminaf ion For years they have pa IDENTITY
, | borne the burden o. assessment imposed
| upon them bJ tho state Board OF Equalization