The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-10
WILLAPPEALTO GOVERNOR.
COLER WEARY OF WAITING FOR
THE MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY.

Unless Hung-Up Appropriations ARC A'te"
Upon Soon the Comptroller VIII ASK the
Governor to Call Special Session OF
the Legislature to Deal with tho ths"'
The continued hold-up OF necessary bond
issues and appropriations for public work IN
the Municipal Assembly has produced such
condition OF affairs in the municipal DEPART
ments that the officers Of the city government
have decided to take radical action in the
prem Uses. Comptroller Colcr announced yes
terday that unless the Board OF Aldermen and
the Council showed DISPOSITION to conduct the
city's business as il should be conducted he
would appeal to Gov Roosevelt to call the
Lcgs stature in extraordinary session for the
purpose OF so amending the charter that the
Municipal Assent bly, shall not have the powerto
hamper and hinder the executive officers in the
discharge OF their duties. He believes that II
such action becomes necessary the Board oil
Estimate should have power to issue all bonds.
During the eighteen months that the char
ter has been in operation 1t has been necessary
for the Board OF Estimate to send all reso-
lutions calling for the issue OF bonds and the
expenditure OF money to the Municipal As
sembly for concurrence. The charter provides
that the Asscmbly's concurrence shall be by
threc-uubrtcrs vote OF all the mem
bers elected to each branch. Ever since
they have been in existence both branches
OF tho Assembly have continually held up
bond issues and appropriations for the most
trivial reasons. The opposition to concurrence
has come in each branch from the members
from Brooklyn. who draw a sectional line IA
soon as they were seated. and started out with
the idea OF using their power to sandbaE tho
members from other horoughs There is
Brooklyn minority in each branch large enough
to prevent the appropriation OF any money
by simply voting in opposition or absent
ing themselves from the meetings and this
they have done time and again. In the matter
OF an issue Of 100000 worth OF bonds to pay
the owners OF seized property in the Croton
watershed their action was typical Tho houses
by the city to prevent the pollution Of the water
supply Pending payment in fu!l for the rrop-
erty thus taken the city is naying thr former
erty., The bonds can, be sold at 3 per cent.
and the claimants paid, but the BROOKLYN Al
months. and it Is now on their calendar. The
Brooklyn members each time, the matter is
ground that they want to investigate It. Their
actions at each meeting at which the matter
, las come up has shown that they made no eff,
The issue Of $40 900 worth Of bonds to pay
plant Is another case in point. The money was
awarded by the courts; The friends q the
that unless the city acquired the property at
once the company would have the award set
aside. and that in any Subsequent nroceedings1
the Municipal Assembly since consoidqtion.
Ts h6 Legacy from the ola Gi'E of BEoofiyn
fought and delayed it at every step, An ord-
nance calling for the expenditure OF S2oOO.O00
Tor repavlnG Ia in the Committee on Borough
Affairs Of the Council. and the members can
an n1t TIE horomghs Besides this difficulty.
a say as to which streets shall be repaved
These are only samples of tho general way in
which the Assembly has done business Mr..
Coer said Yesterday that contractors under the
city and their en plpyees are unable TO get their
money. Much hardship has resulted from this.
The Comptr0ler does not care anything about
but has found it impossible to carry on the
financial dealings Of the city in a businessike
t way N while depending on them to sanction
money. The men to whom the city owes
money want it. and demand i Of him. There
or OF the harm which is coming to the city
through the actions of tho Aldermen and
Councilmen. for which there is no valid excuse.
possible not only to improve the condition
OF the city. but that absolutely necessary re-
pairs 70 ravements, water mains and SIM
Mayor Van Wyck has appealed to the Alder
men and Councilmen in several special mos
sSa syS d to vote argEorraions but his words
hay S BEEN AZ reaed Mr. ~ Ser n" has %G de-
remedy the evil. and he has fully dctermnod
ture for aid Mr. Coer is Brooklyn man him
Of his Office rs n purely bust
ness matter. and he has no sympathy with the
desire mi Etc, to fot money on sectional lines. Tn.
tho Tammany men and Democrats from other
boroughs work together. but they do not