The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-05
REQUESTS FOR
MONEY ARE
GRANTED
Finance Body Aids Several
Departments City May
Escape Water Tax.

AN dA
Common Council met last night repre-
sentatives of mostly every branch of
the city government we're present to
ask for additional appropriations to
carry on the work in their respective
departments. In most of the cases the
committee decided to grant the re-
quests.
J. Edward Smith, OF the Board OF
Education. entered a plea for $1,000
to meet the expenses of necessary
repairs on the school buildings; City In
gfneer Morris r. SherTerd, for $4,000 to
carry the street department through the
month of December; Charles Doughty. as
sistant overseer of the poor. to a Y his
salary OF $1,000 increased; COMMISSIONS
John B. Wood, Of the Board OF Health,
for 5000 to keep things going in that
department until the new appropriation
can be received, and William J. McKier-
nan, Of the Fairgrounds Commission, for
$4,000 for more playground sites
The fortunate ones were Commissioner
Smith. vino was granted $3.50; Commits
sioner Wood. who got the whole 5000,
and Engineer Sherrerd, who got within
$1,000 OF what he asked. Mr.. Doughty's
case will be taken before the Mayor. No
one knows what will happen to the Play
ground Commission. On Alderman Adolph
Holzner's motion. $500 was voted to the
public building committee TO meet their
expenses.
The plea entered by Mr.. Doughty for an
increase was made on the grounds that be
had been in the city's service for sixteen
years without an increase and recently the
Overseer Of the Poor had received n of
1000. Chairman Patrick H Ryan In
formed him that the Mayor was under
stood to be opposed to any salary increases
until after the first Of the year. When the
matter was brought up later, however,
Alderman William P. Martin declared that
the additional pay seemed deserved and
moved that the Mayor be seen on the
subject. The motion was carried.
A rather lively tilt between City Counsel
James r. Nugent followed the request for
$4,000 by Commissioners Wood. The COM
missioner said TINT while the board had
asked for a $4,000 appropriation, but $685.
600 had been granted, so that with the
$500 spent OF the dispensary and the $1,000
on the smallpox hospital the board did not
see now 1t was going to get through the
year. The money paid for the work on
the d~ispensary. no said, should have been
paid back to the Health Department by
the public buildings committee. The COM
missioner denied having been notified that
the board was exceeding its appropriation
when questioned by Mr.. Nugent.
City Auditor George Forman said that
for the past three months he had mailed
a statement of the board balance to the
board, to which Mr.. Wood responded
that, If the committee so desired, the dis
pensary could be closed up.
That's not the question" interrupted
Mr.. Nugent. 'You were notified tina you
were exceeding your appropriation. The
money was spent without authority.
NToItt0r tho TToai@. - 10000 -
other has a right to exceed It's appropria-
ton"
The commissions contended that he had
not exceeded the amount specified, as
there was still a balance to the boards
credit. He said that $13, 600 was necessary
to see the board through, though II the
$4,000 still remaining 10 the City Hospital
account could be transferred to the Health
Department account only $1,000 would be
required from the finance committee. A
resolution changing the account and an
other granting the 5000 were adopted.
An opinion on the power of the Potable
Water Commission to tan the city on the
amount Of water used up to 80, 5000 gall
Ions daily was presented by Mr.. Nugent.
1t contained a recapitulation of the opinion
of the Attorney-General that the city
could not be taxed on that amount. and
then went on:
ut would seem, however, that when the
city exceeds the 10000, 900 limit the license
fee or tax to the State may be levied on
the city by the commission With this In
view 1 prepared and had introduced a bill
in the House Of Assembly toward the end
of the last Legislative session which would,
in my opinion, exempt the city from ell la
bility to the State. even though the city
increased its consumption or extended its
source of supply.
This BILL passed the lower house. but
failed in the Senate. and [ advise, before
commencing proceedings to test the eonsfi-
tutionality Of the act, that an effort be
made by the city to pass the last men
toned bill during the coming session Of
the Legislature, and If successful the city
will then be fully protected in its winter
supply or future extension thereof.
1.-THE 100000 limit will not be reached
for some years. so that the interests of the
city will not suffer by the short delay"
1t was decided to introduce the bill a
second time, as advised by Mr.. Nugent.
The recommendation of the Mayor that
a resolution In favor of home rule be pre-
scented to the Legislature was read and
concurred in, and Mr.. Connolly and Chair
man Ryan were directed to draw up such
a resolution in time for the Council meet
ing Friday night.
A resolution introduced by Mr.. Connolly
that $50. the Initiation fee for membership
In the League Of American Municipalities,
be granted, that Newark might become a
member, was adopted.