New-York tribune., 1908-03-16
CITYS FINANCES BAD.
MANY Needed Reforms Recommend
ed TO Controller Meto.

Reasons for Reorganization from Top 70 Bot
tom" report submitted 10 Controller Metz yes
ferday by the Bureau OF Municipal Research act
ing in conjunction with the Controllers commit
toe Of accounts aca methods. shows that the
r;fx-s millions are not handled in the way they
should be. though the present Controller has IN
stituted many much needed reforms since ne
went into o.lcc. AT The present time no one
knows how much tl1e city owes. how much :
owing 10 Tho city. whether the city pays ua-
necessary prices whether payrolls are padded or
whether contracts are enforced
Before Nr Nets term expires. AZ the end Of
1909 he hopes to have the ciTy's finances con-
-ucte6 ausinesslile way or, in other words
Il have the Department Of Finance thor
ough business basis from top TO bottom
one thing stands out in this report. and that
* that the citys Department Of Finance, instead
IF being like a well oiled machine, resembles a
patched I'D mechanism built by piecemeal as the
needs demanded i is called in the report the
result of q century's irregular growth The
Controller hnds that too much OF his time has
. be given up details. Now he cannot dele
gate important duties 10 responsible subordi-
mates. The report says his duties now are much
the same a those ot & financial vice-presldent
Of a corporation who is chairman of its finance
committee an6 the time officio head
of all Of the central business and accounting &C
tivities OF the company. Here Is point the
report makes;
TIE charter does Violence TO the princi.Ples, Of
~ Ci.el
FOR the receipt OF moneys from safes Of bonds and
city properties az the time that he is held re-
sporsible for the audit Of these receipts
The report says that department employees hav-
ing charge Of the preparation and forwarding OF
claims may levy contributions for payment Many
business houses refuse to seek city business be-
Of this thing it says. At present it is estl-
mated that city losing l@rge through
the padding OF payrols by foreuen and political
heads. i Is often impossible tell il which de-
naTtment city aInploye Is working The report
g1f
several million dollars year without the fact be-
irE known by the Controllers office
Accounts are kept in antquated manner in the
bureau Of audit. and the report estimates that by
usirg q duplicating machine one clerk could DO the
work being done by fourteen Nearly every
department. is bound up in red tape, and the Con-
7-oller himself does not know whether certain re-
ports are correct, for he has no method Of check
ing them The report points out countless other de-
fects in the city's lack Of business methods.
The Bureau Of Municipal Research does not criti-
else Nr Metz. but finds faUl; with Controllers
Office Il says he has done much good since he has
been n Office, and viii have the work systematzed
before he gets out. Many Of the changes recon-
Inended VIII not be Put into practice unless the
Controller Is permitted increase his Office force
and pay salaries which viii draw expert men VINO
VIII give their entire tine and effort work,
regardless OF outside considera tons
Controller Metz says that while some of the sic-
Cesrions made by the Bureau Of Municipal Research
and his committee have met with some degree
tl opposition WlL1ll his once, determined
give them impartial consideration. and will adopt
Every suggestion thar appears sound and practical;
provided. Of course, that he GET the necessary
support OF the public and permission from the
municipal and state Civil Service commissions 10
establish the grades Necessary. from the Board
of Estimate and the Board Of Aldermen the funds
necessary
One OF the chief recommendations is that a
TIA purchasing agency be established. that the
contract business the city could properly pro-
s@cred- Il is believed that millions could be saved
annually if This were done. Controller Metzs state
rn-nt that = t'businesslike administration of New
York City would 50 shrink expenses and swell
macs -iiar IN twenty-five years taxes would be
r-gIired' might he realized IN measure Il this
recommendation were carried out, the Bureau OF
Municipal Research believes.
To show how the duties Of the Controller have
TIE report says that IN 1912 he was required
PC collect market fees from butchers II 1917 he
vy1s directed 20 inform the collector of taxes Of
due from him and 10 sue the collector in de
faUl- of payment; II 1923 the clerk Of the Common
Council was placed under the accounting control
OF the Controller, and down 20 the present
TINE.