New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-12
ITLANTJC.AyE. IMPROVEMENT
MAYOR wURsTER WARMLY IN FAVOR
OF 1T AND THE TUNNEL PLAN
REAL. CONSOLIDATION wANTED-How THE ''ii
SHOULD PAY IT'S SHARE OF THE COST

SHOULD PAY ITS SHARE OF THE COST
THE QUESTION OF TAXATION.
,,or xx,,r.,sr expressed himself yesterday as
n,oesed With the report made by the A''"'e
ave Commission appointed oy him. ana az hopo,
full that the plan proposed wouin oe 90
out The project for tunnel from ria'o"snN
10 New-York he regards as OF inc nrs' '"P0''"">
10 BROOKLYN for q variety OF reasons.
Tunnels and bridges. he SAID VIII s". "'
rAal consolidation with New-York. and cohsohoa-
ton without them will be Of little consequence "
BROOKLYN hope that the men Interested i" '"e
tunnel mentioned in the report and previously re-
ferred in my message to the Commo" .ou"'"
really mean to undertake the work. II Will give
the Long Island Railroad needed ou'e' 'h'o
New-York and right into the business district
and cannot fail to bring II a large amount OF
business One effect of running through trains 10
New-York by the Long Island kailroad Will DE
that the elevated railroads OF brooklyn and the
trolley roads too. will have 20 md some way oil
running across the river. have said repeatedly.
and I wish TO say again. that the people oil
Brooklyn ought not to be obliged TO change cars
when they get the Bridge: they should be abl.
to board trains troey-cars in the outer parts
OF the city and not know when they reach the
Bridge unless they specially looking out fol
H. That is what will he done when the new
bridge is built across the river but 1t will take
eral years TO complete that undertaking. even i,
the money is promptly furnished for II. l under
stand that the proposed tunnel can be constructed
within three years. and sincerely hope 1t will
be-
DO you think" the Mayor asked that
there will be any difficulty about the city's paying
one-half the cost of removing the steam railroad
from the surface of Atan,c-ave ?"
How that ought 20 be DONE" he replied. rs a
matter for serious consideration. 1t is obvious that
tho property that will be most benefited by the i'm
provement will be Atlantic-ave. itself and in the
immediate vicinity. Atlantic-ave as you know Is
Of the widest streets in the CITY, but
count OF the blight the railroad has put upon It. 4!
has never amounted 10 much With the railroad re-
moved. l believe property there would double in
value in five years. On some accounts It seems
wise 10 impose the cost OF the proposed improve
ment large district OF assessment. covering
the property receiving the most benefit from the
change. 1t is also maintained that the city as a
whole will receive much benefit that there would
be no injustice in imposing the cost the city at
large. 1t has been suggested that 1t nigh, be IN
cluded in the tax levy. possibly being apportioned
over three or four years But do not believe the
tax levy will allow any considerable addition 10 IT,
We have u per cent limit. and cannot 90 beyond
1t. and the margin on which we must work is a
narrow one. AS for the issuing OF bonds to meet
this expense, there are obvious objections 10 so do
ing. account of the many demands made on the
city and the constitutional limit of the amour: of
debt which a city can contract.
The Mayors reference TO taxation naturally led
him TO a depression bearing on the suggestion made
IN his message tnat there should be no taxation IN
Brooklyn this year except for county purposes he
had previously said that he intended TO have a bill
prepared providing for this ana presented 10 the
legislature. Taking pencil and sheet of paper
Mr.. Wurster did little figuring 20 show why II
would be to the advantage OF the city to omit this
years taxes. instead of next years. proposed in
the draft of the charter now under consideration.
Now" he resumed. our budget amounts to
about $15 10000 a year, Of which about 100000 is
usual this year and paid next December Brook
Ign will turn 10 the consolidated city on jan
uary next some N3.OOo0O0. The interest on that
for year at the current rates would be SIS0.VD
and would give them the use of il for nine
months. at least. Then Brooklyn would have TO
rowed to run the municipal government until the
first taxes were collected, and that, | estimate
would be we'll toward 10000 Besides all that II
we pay in Brooklyn this year instead of
next will not get the benefit of the reduced
taxrate which we have been led TO believe We are
that in New York o.35 the rate after consolidation
ought not 10 be more than "a. On that basis
Brooklyn would have TO pay about S3c.cO more
in 1897 than in 1895 So the cost to our city If the
plan proposed In the charter is carried out would
be something like $4,000. ! TO have a
change made. If possible. and the payment Of
taxes postponed from next December until the
following October.
1T has been suggested. however. that the people
would probably not object TO paying about half
as much as usual in the way Of taxes this year.
and IL that were done-if say. s6,000c0O S0O00O0
the Atlantic-ave improvement. 10 build school
houses and to lay asphalt pavements. This would
assure certain Improvements that We are not
sure Of getting after consolidation. / should like
TO see this matter discussed. and learn what the
people Of the city think about such PLAN OF
course there will have to be legislation the
subject, and the whole matter could be covered
in one bill