New-York tribune., 1902-07-25
LOW ON IMPROVEMENTS
WANTS NEW LAW AS To local aS
SESSMENTS-GREAT WORK IN
STREET OPENING

Public improvements was the text Of Mayor
Lows third talk on municipal matters yesterday
at the City Hall. The Mayors weekly elucida
tions of city problems are attracting good
deal of attention In regard to public improve
ments he said
large. like the East River bridges are usually
paid for by the properly benefted are esed s Ioes
improvements. 10 make local improvements pos
pay for the work before the cost can be assessed
upon the property benefited. Although these as
against the property benefited they are necessarily
It is proper for the city lend its credit for local
improvements in only when its working capital is
all necessary public improvements. When as a
was then on the corner of Madlson-aye and Forty
nlnth-st., Madlson-ave. was not paved above Forty
how the pavement got there The s3 psyaTef sU Ink
of the avenue was local imnrovemenf wHbic5 H vas
met by assessing the cost of the improvement on
the street. Now it is clear if all the property
owners had wished this pavement 70 be laid when
share of the cost they could have paved the street
themselves without calling upon the city 20 act as
But for various reasons great body of prop
for such Improvement at the same time Only
the city can compel unwilling property owners to
help property owners who weak financially to
provide their share of the by charging it upon
the property benefited.
This process. however of lending the ctys credit
for carrying on local improvements to be paid for
by the property benefited leads to some of the most
troublesome questions connected with the city gov
the work is often done slowly and poorly and ex-
reasonably delayed and they are compelled to pay
an unreasonable amount OF interest; 90 because
such improvements are often made In advance Of
The city suffers on the other hand. because the
all Of these defects. often succeed in throwing the
ments upon the city at large This Is distinctly
local improvements
When 1 was Mayor of Brooklyn. twenty years
finest sections Of the city. was so overwhelmed
Wta @ for 6enet that II s{0PPed pagls @
In the picturesque phrase the Hon William c. De
had been "runed by improvement" Certain neigh
borhoods in the greater New-York. especially in
Long Island CITY, are in precisely that situation to-
prove the general Situation as to local improve
ments. Somewhat by better legislation. and more,
owner must be assured that the assessment which
he IS called upon to pay contains no element Of in
equipped with power to collect without fail what is
tbs he ofd o s% Of B OF modified n s
important respect; that the city be given authority
not TO sell the title OF the land 10 secure it's claim
as was formerly the case in Brooklyn, but 70
amount Of its Claim Such modicStion Of the law
will sufficiently protect the city, while II will avoid
oT any Teason faed
Mr Hsag of the Controers ONCE With such an
amendment TO the law relating the collection Of
assessments, I think the city could In many cases
safely and properly levy assessments by install
ments.
AS an Illustration OF what may be accomplished
IN the matter of street opening by better admin
istration, the Corporation Counsel reports to me
that in six months his office has completed more
street opening proceedings In the Borough OF
years; and in the city as whole he has substan-
TALLY completed in six months l67 proceedings,
against I79 completed in the previous four years.
This probably represents saving in the interest
charge against the property affected or at least
$500, 600
Next week l shall hope TO speak on the city $
TRANSFORMATION problem. including, in particular.
the Brooklyn Bridge and the New-York Central
Pail