The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-07-12
BUDGET
THERMOME TER.
Funny Ups and Downs in the
Cost Of County In
stitutions.
JUSTICE is CHEAP NOW
And the Present Freeholders
Are Economical All
Along the Line.
JUSTICE is CHEAP NOW


The varying cost of conducting the diff
Ierent branches of the county government
from year to year is one of the strange
features shown by comparison OF the
items of appropriation for 1901 80, publish
ed in last nights News, with those of
previous fiscal years.
Without apparent cause in the past diff
ferent appropriations have been placed at
enormous figures only to be subsequently
reduced without explanation of the
strange difference or how the money was
to be expended.
A striking illustration of this is fur
aished by the item for court expendl-
lures. This appropriation is practicaliy
out of the control of the F'reeholdeFs, ex-
cept to fix the amount of the same. All
bills being paid by the County Collector
on certificate of the proper court ofnelais-
1t is but natural to suppose that the
increase in the county's population car
ried with it corresponding increase IN
the number of criminal and civil matters
before the various courts, and yet one
finds this item of expense to the tax
navers varying from $S5, 900 ten years ago
TO 100000 in 1882 s110,O00 for each OF
the three subsequent years; $4,000 in
lS97-'9S again $1,000 for the two follow-
ing wears. and then reduced to $4,000 for
the current and next fiscal year Stranger
still is the fact that three years prior TO
lS91-'92 the appropriation for courts was
s25, 900 less than for that year and s6o,Voe
less than in 1S97-'9S when it was the
highest it has ever been. A partial ex-
PLANTATION to be found in the abolition
of the Lay Judges and of the fee system
The present frequency of ''nolle pros" IN
the criminal branch is also economical
Almost as fiuctuating has been the cost
of maintaining the County Jail and Court
House grounds, which include the expense
of caring for Jail prisoners. In 1855 50 and
for man wears prior this item OF appro-
priation was fixed in the annual tax levy
at $4,000 In exactly five years time the
amount was doubled and stayed at tnat
eeure until 1S97-'9S, when it was raised TO
s55 GOO The next year this item was re-
dueed by 5000, and the following year
another reduction in the same amount
ifis-svsfs a2ss the aisfssof','iss-
tion for the current fiscal year, and for
next year it is only s47500 or $500 less
than in 1897-'9S, when the county's GRIM
5na1 nonnIation was much smaller that it
win be next year.
As with these items almost equally
strange have been the varying figures for
tho maintenance of the Snake Hill insti-
tutions. In 1922 ten years ago only
$4,000 was required to conduct the in
sane asvlum. By gradual stages this
amount was increased until 19O7-'9S, when
s55.OOO was found necessary for the pur-
nose. The next year 5000 was deducted;
in 1aoo-'01. $4,000 less than the high water
mark on s35, 600 was found sufficient and
for next year only $4,000 has been added
to present years figures, making tneni
s1s ooo less than they were four years ago,
although more patients are now cared for
at the county asylum than at any time
In the history of that institution.
TIA cost of conducting the Penitentiary
was raised from s4s.O0O ten years ago to
$4,000 in both the fiscal years 1S9f-'9s. For
the current year only $55,0O0 was found
necessary, and for. next year the Free
holders have cut 5000 from this amount
A considerable item of the county's bud
get during recent years has been that for
interest on bonds issued for Improvement
For the current fiscal year this item alone
represents almost one-quarter OIL the en-
tire appropriation, and for next year 1t Is
not muCn less. 4 neSc DOiieo "a cNt-H~->-S
jv maturing and are redeemed out OF the
various sinking funds established Tor
that purpose.
In ten years the cost of running the
county government by Boards of Free
holders previous to the present one in
creased about 70 per cent, and the show
ing made by the present Board in fixing
the budget for next year is certainly
highly creditable and shows disposition
to conduct the different branches of the
service as economically as possible.
To do this with the reduced appropria-
ton for the current year it was found
necessary to economize in almost every
direction. The force at the various in
stitutions was reduced by tine dismissal
of negligent employees and no appoint
merits were made in their places. --lmost
every avenue of useless expense in all
directions has been cut off during the
year. and the Freeholders feel that ever
with the reduced appropriation for next
year they will be in better position to
solve the financial problem than they
were at the commencement of the term
in December last.