The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-26

amounts to s4,ooo,oOO, the interest on
taxes overdue, which amounts to
three-quarters of million dollars,
ana such minor items as fees and IL
censes For instance, the cost of the
maintenance of the office Of the county
clerk is $4,000 In New York county
Tor 1901; for the county clerk OF
Kings, $4,000; Queens. 800, and
Richmond. $4,000. a total of $l56,000.
but about one-third of this, or s53, 900,
comes back into the city treasury in
the form OF fees collected. 1t is the
same with the shcriff's office and with
the office of register. For the latter,
Sl6o,OOo is appropriated in New York
county next year and $4,000 in Kings,
| total of $2lS.000. The sheriff's fees
paid to the city treasury amount to
about $4,000
HUNTING DOWN THE EXPENSE.
The net expense to the city as shown
bv the budget after deducting the
| items OF the general fund Is, therefore,
sso,c0O,oOo, but this is subject to other
and important reductions which bring
down the cost of the city government
very considerably. Included In the
budget this year. as usual, is the
item redemption of the city debt"
Every year certain bonds, issued not
for current expenses. but for property
acquired, fall due. What the city
needs for current expenses Is raised
from taxes. When the city acquires
property for public buildings, armor-
les. courts, prisons, acpueduct pur-
poses, parks or markets, bonds are
issued and the principal is provided
for by installments. The amount Of
s'eh payments next year Is S3,90i, ,2S7,
and this item is, properly speaking
no charge upon the city of New York
for administration, but is an invest
ment for property acquired by the
city. Deducting 1t from the cost Of
the city administration, II brings
down the latter to sS5.0C0,0o0.
There is a further item of $500, 200
to be raised by taxation next year for
school house and water main pur-
poses and sundry other items (of
which the expenditures of the Rapid
Transit commissioners form one) paid
for by the Issuance of bonds. Pre-
sumably for such advances, for such
these items are, and not for current
expenses, the city in property nc-
duired will gain a corresponding rev.
enue. Thus the ownership of the tun-
mel will be an asset to the city, the
commercial value of which will in
clude the expenditures made necessary
fer the pay of the Rapid Transit COM
mssioners during the years preceding
the actual beginning of the work.
This deduction bring down the total
a. nn
not include all the items of reduction
from the city's budget, the extent Of
which appears to have frightened
many persons unfamiliar with it's ac-
tual makeup.
ACTUAL COST s65,OOO, 600
New York county contributes to the
expenses of the state government ST.
$4,000 this year Kings county con-
tributes for like purposes S4600O0.
Queens s65, 600 and Richmond sS1 900, a
total of $2,4OO,O00 This sum is raised
on the basis of valuations which are
fixed finally by a state board and are
imposed as part OF the states levy for
taxes entirely irrespective of the adj
ministration of municipal affairs. In
addition to this item there is another,
almost as large, which does not legiti-
mately belong among municipal ex-
penses. 1t is the tax imposed by the
state of New York upon each of the
counties for the maintenance of the
canal system of New York. Of which
New York city and It's neichborhood
are the chief beneflciarics commercial
ly. Since canals We're made free Of
tolls they are no longer self-support-
ing and their annual cost is provided
for by taxation, toward which New
York county contributes this year ST.
10000. Kings 1852 600 Queens $4,000
and Richmond $4,000. a total of ST.
$4,000, which. with the local taxes
raised for state expenses, make up a
total Of $i,236,0OO
With these deductions, the actual
expenditures Of the city government
are brought down to S75 900, 900 n year.
and this is subject to the further de-
duction of $iO4SO,OOO for the payment
of interest upon the city bonds and
liabilities. These bonds were for the
most part issued under previous ad-
ministrations, but whenever issued
the city credit and the city property
are pledged to meet the interest as
it accrues. The net city budget comes
down, therefore, to s65,OOO,OOO instead
of $lOo,oOO,OOO as accepted as the basis
for comparison with the expenditures
of other cities and countries.
OF this sum, SlS,50000O is expended
for education; 100000 approximate
ly. for the police department: $1,000
900 for the fire department: $4,000, OJo
for the street cleaning department.,
and s1,5O0OO0 for the judiciary. The
balance is distributed among the mi
nor city departments and a consldera-
BILE reduction in the expenses of these
is not considered improbable by those
who have studied dispassionately
the affairs of the city government.