The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-04
HOT SHOT FOR MAYOR HOOS
JERSEY CITY BOARD OF FINAN0B
ANSWERS HIS CRITICLSM.

says ne Daeun,t Know what Ne n Talking
About, and Implies That ne Let . Dtsap-
pointed Politician write his MessaEe-The
CIty's Debt IL Reduced. Net Increased
The Jersey City Board of Finance submitted
an answer yesterday to the communication sent
to 1t by Mayor Hoos on July IA, in which he
sharply criticised the management OF the city's
finances and asked in particular what had
been done with 81, 900, 900 of arrears of taxes
collected under the Martin act. when the
Mayors communicated was received it was re-
ferrcd to the Committee of the Whole. AS the
attack evidently was intended for the four
members Of the Board who had been appointed
by Mayor Wanser, they excluded A~lderman-at-
Largo Midlige, the other member, from the de-
hberations of the Of tho Whole. The
ocument submitted yesterday was introduced
by a statement from the committee which inn
piled that the Mayor had had a disappointed Jer-
sey City politician write the message for him.
The committees report is signed by Henry
Brautigam, James S. Bailey, Henry L. Kellers,
and Reuben Simpson. The answer to the May
sioners are not and never have been Influenced
by politics, that the charter, requires that not
more than a majority OF the board shall belong
to one political party. and that Mayor Wanser
did not avail himself of the opportunity he had
after the election last spring to make the board
I'm all the records of the city" it continues.
we ta1l TO ma manifested SuCn venom as LnaL
displayed in your communication OF July Il.
Your communication opens with the charge
that the city debt has been increased ST. ,9l7.23
since Dec. l, 1892. Why you selected Dec. l,
1892. as tho basis of your comparison we do not
understand. as the personnel of the board of
that year, and in fact the board in office up to
April, 1894. was not of the selection of your
immediate predecessor. so that to be absolutely
efly a on b SeSu 10 1 has' e Spn bso. I. 1881 1as ae Wit Gt th bns
on Dec. /. 1896, which would have shown the
following:
Gross debt Dec. l. 1893 .............el4.l2Z.t2l o.
Gross debt Dec. !, 1894. ............ 1+,e67.581 "
Gross debt Dec. l. sse......-....... 1&,sse.l37 90
Not so much Of an increase, but a much
The answer then gives an analysis of the city
debt in 1898 and In 1896, showing the cause Of
the increase. Tho Gomp55solier,s report for the
that year the city issued bonds and certificates
TO the amount OF 80, 33e, 633.o4. and, paid OF
81. 1850. . O.O5. leaving tho bonded debt AZ the
close of the year increased | in the sum of &113,-
600 over the previous year. The Comptroller in
Tho increased outstanding amounts Of inn
provement certificates, temporary loans lac
count OF taxes!, and tax redemption bonds cause
this Increase"
The figures given in the analysis show that
from 1894 to the present date, the actual bonded
debt has been decreased and not increased, AZ
the Mayor charged. In conclusion the report
says:
disregarded and salaries reduced below the
amounts fixed by those statutes. We feel that
we are not above the dictation Of the people
and policemen was ixcd By legislation and
then accepted by popular vote. Our PUBLIC
school teachers and principals are not we'll
paid, and. as q rule, with a few certain ex-
c%eptions. city officials are not overpaid. at least
tax levy is presented to your Honor. II you
desire to declare what each official. fireman. po-
liceman. and school teacher should be paid.
without regard to the provisions of existing
statutes. that is your privilege. We must de-
cline to so endanger the legality of the tax levy.
We must also decline to involve the city in such
an era OF useless and expensive litigation. Such
q proposition might have been mado more be-
comingly by a litigation. seeking lawyer. Its
absurdity Is SO great that we decline 70 further
discuss ii or your communication"
The document was ordered sent to the Mayor,
and the board adjourned.