New-York tribune., 1901-10-16
TAX RATE EXCUSES RIDDLED
MINORITY REPORT EXPOSES THE TAM
MANY MANDATORY LEGISLA-
TION PLEA

The Municipal Assembly in August passed report
Of its joint finance committees fixing the tax rate
and declaring that the increase in the rate was
mainly due to mandatory legislation at Albany.
The Tammany politicians in the committees were
said at the time TO be taking long look ahead"
and providing material for the Tammany campaign
The report was passed against the earnest protest
Of two members of the committees Elias Goodman
and Adam H. LEIGH who offered a minority report
in the preparation of which Alderman Herbert
Parsons had been interested. OF course the minor
ity report voted down. but it appears the
record of the proceedings Of the Municipal Assem-
bly, and answers the excuses for Tammany ex-
travagance that increased the tax rate. Following
are portions OF the report which may be read with
interest by citizens who need facts upon which to
form opinions in the campaign:
While 1t is impossible to state accurately the
and Selected from banks h in WE NeWYork the city
Controller has estimated the amount at 81 $40 o76 q
we believe that that does not compare unfavorably
with what the city has heretofore received
company property is $86iS. 400: value Of unearned
premiums of insurance companies. which have never
to- s2oS4O,111; this gives a total of s2s SIS.
b n fns W we m nave an actual increase undeF
sES;0oc@ difference between the two amounts
placed upon the tax rolls of the city of New-York
Assuping. therefore. these figures to be correct.
we fnd; upon tax basis of 23O per s1O0 mandatory
egsaton a. at Albany has actually @ added to the
In addition to this. find that the State tax rate
In 1900 was 196 mills. while the rate for 1901 is l20
huIs giving reduction of .I6 mills. The assessed
value of all property in the city of New pays
g. per centum of the entire State tax A reduc-
ton Of .76 of mill in the State therefore
means gross saving to the city of New-York
from State tax. legislation 50 S57 So Owing
the fact. however that the city of New-York bor-
rows o Its money in anticipation of the tax levy the
NOT be operative, so far the city is concerned
1t is estimated that from three sources alone the
trust companies the insurance companies and the
taNaton OF the surplus of savings banks. will pro-
OF OF NeW-1ork pays 6465 per centum of the entire
state tax it will benefit the of 6467 per
the tax collected in New-York as a result OF the
t trancIlse Tax law and through the reduced State
CITY 10 the extent of So S19, 722 Ol.
IhuS, II we should concede that the claim OF the
I.y I Tax commissioners is correct. that the city
Ioses through the State tax laws affecting trust
companies unearned premiums of insurance com
panies and the personal property of banks etc
which is stated TO be Sl7S143S S. the total gain OF
the city when these laws shall be In full operation
~lI be s4oil.5IS 16. To be than fair we may
Te!Ict w me oeneht which will only accrue TO New
a net gain this year of 81. 7Ol AIS 10
IN IN arriving at the reason for the increased tax
considered It Is in the expenditures that the
reason Is TO be found. The city has Increased lis
administration from S6S O0 900 to SOS 900 90 While
otate expenditures have been steadily decreasing
a. !L Has Deeh SHOWN in a corresponding reduction
III , Ihe state tax rate and in the gross amount
raised for State purposes the city's expenditures
Deeh increasing. II cannot be said that egis-
n. d1tLoH AZ Aioany IS responsible for the increase
outside OF the teachers salaries legislation which
was enacted at the general desire OF the repre-
se1ItduVes or both Parties in the legislature
We therefore submit that the statement thar tba
increased tax is due either To n redurtion ~
% - or ny the placing OF additional burdens
We believe that the example OF econnrny w ~, ~ ~
tennoltuIes s.; by the State is one which could be
responsibility for the increased tx rate Canro, h
''eU from the present city administration