The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-01

Mayor Hoos last night sent the iolioN
ing interesting communication to the
Board of Finance
November 80, 1898.
To the Honorable the Beard Of rinanse, Ia fs,s
CITY the fiscal year commences on the
first day of December. The tax levy Is
made in July These two Iaets' wnile ,i1
well known have a bearing upon the re-
sponsibility Of the Mayor, who IS chargeu
with the duty of appointing the members
of your Board. except the ex5omcl9 infsnr rnr
nearly year the Evening JournaI o.
this city has devoted a great deal OF Us
more or less valuable space to CRYING that
Increased under the present admlnistra-
ton. 1t has insisted that the cost of CITY
government has peen greater tnah i :, Was ies
under my immediate predecessor, In It's
issue of the 2Sth inst, that paper says
'.The present city government SPENDS
about 100000 a year more than its prede-
cessor did, That statement is not true
and its partisan utterances by the Jour
nal'' would be unworthy OF serious at
tention If confined TO jersey Sity t9s ollss' OILY
The statements of this paper are copied
by others, in and out of the state, ana
the effect is injurious to the reputation
Of our city. This fact is sufficient to
justify me, in behalf of the city, TO take
exception to such untrue and reckless
The tax levy for the year ending De-
cember l. 1897 was made by Board Of
Finance appointed by the Hon. T. r.
Wanser. my Immediate predecessor in the
Office Of Mayor He approved the budget.
The tax levy for the year ending De-
cember l. 1885, was made by Board OF
Finance appointed, with q single excep-
ton. by Mayor wanser. The fifth mem-
Der, Mr.. Midlge. voted against the
budget
It viii thus be seen that every dollar of
every appropriation fixed for each and
every department of the city government
from the day took office until the firss
prlated by Board of Finance apported
by Mr.. Wanser. The amount that can
be expended by the city Boards fixed and
limited by the Board of Finance, and the
first dollar of city expenses the appro-
priation of which can be charged against.
the present administration will be ex-
pended on Thursday of the present week.
The system is wrong; but ii exists. 1t
will also be seen that if 1t was true that
the city had beer, expsndlIg $soooVo a. e year
would have been doing so under the di-
recton and control of those who We're APP
pointed to your Board by my predecessor.
Collector, and now in process of ;oiiee-
tion, is the first one made by this admin
istTation The amount of money ex-
pended and to be expended before next
Thursday was placed by the law be-
yond my controlss ~ = oiliy power las
been to see that It was not illegally cx-
pended This | have done, giving to the
detail of disbursement the same care and
attention that a prudent man gives to the
inedentals of his private business. Tie
total amounts to be expended by the 6if-
ferent departments being beyond my col1-
troll 1 have had only to secure to the
CITY good weight and measure for the
money expended. For the merits or fall
ings of the tax levy made to SUPPORT tie
government during the fiscal year ending
December l. 1895, / am willing 10 share
with you all responsibility. 1t was en-
acted on lines OF economy, and It's Only
points of increase are in the matter Of
our new public schools, and the payment
of debts incurred under previous adnin-
istrations. To those who object to the
increase for educational purposes | have
to offer neither excuse nor sympathy. The
inves tments are good ones and the diyi-
dends viii be in the shape of sound citi-
Having shown by the statement
that the cost of the city government
year would be chargeable, if true, to the
administration whose appointees made
the tax levies of 1867 and 1878, 1t might
serve a partisan purpose to agree with
statement is so wholly devoid of truth
that it deserves contradiction by every
honest citizen While | protested, be.
fore my election, against the levy of
= 1867, and refused to approve of the
levy for the year ending next Thursday,
did SO because they We're not, in my
opinion, drawn on the best possible lines
of economy. To say that they increased
the cost of the city government s500,000
year would be to brand as criminal the
gentlemen who made those levies. This
the Journal" has done, ignorantly over
looking the fact that, If its utterance was
true, 1t would be reflection only upon
the administration of the Mayor who ap-
pointed the Board that made the levies
But the statement is false. Its author
believed that it's publication would re-
fleet upon the present administration.
Had he been better informed of where
the law would locate the responsibility
the statement would not have been pub
nshed, even if it had been the truth
So far from the truth are the state
meilts alluded TO that | take pleasure in
our municipal affairs. Not perfect. they
are nevertheless improving. In the past
year many reforms have been effected
that Will prove a lasting benefit Contrac-
tors have been taught that they must
furnish materials and work in accordance
with their contracts, and that inferior
work will not be paid for. The fact that
we have a legacy of debt in the shape of
about 100000 to pay for Improvements
made prior TO May 1887 must be consid-
cred by our citizens when pressing for
better streets and sewers. For the first
time IN thirty years the Children of Jer-
sey City have been provided with public
school accommodations. During the past
year the credit of Jersey City has reached
the highest point yet attained Nearly
every point of dispute involvinga the liza
bility to assessment for taxes of property
owned by railroad corporations, but not
been settled, and the city will collect
nearly 100000 of arrears from the Erie
and New. Jersey Central Railroad Com
panies, which amount will be applied to
reduction of the city debt. The remain
ing questions affecting the liabilities Of
these companies will be argued at the
next term of the Supreme Court. The
rights Of the city to the streets running
to the Hudson River will soon receive ad-
judication. test case, involving the
rights OF the public in Thirteenth street..
now occupied and claimed by the Della
ware Backa wanna and Western Railroad
Company is at issue in, the Court of
Chancery. and will be pressed to an early
conclusion.
In previous communication TO your
Honorable Board / recommended that
there should be a consolidation of the de-
partments used for the collection of water
rents and taxes. am informed that leg
islation will be necessary to effect such
a law be petitioned for. As one depart
rne1lf can well do the work Of both, the
reform should be secured.
Very respectfully