New-York tribune., 1908-11-09
PRAISE FROM MAYOR
Thanks .4d51Sorp Commission on
Ta.raficn and Finance.

.- lone distinguished and able service in
- .r-ee ard oae-half years and more that II has
-, AZ work as acknowledged in q letter sent to
=. members by Mayor Mcclellan. the advisory
--5ss5o- Oh taxation and finance has entitled
ff srf11 further distinction above most nnunict
ii commissions IN the past bv spending less than
,oe-fhi-d Of the money originally appropriated FOR
,rs use The members Or the commission served
zTrhour pay
II she next 70 the last paragraph Of the hnsl
report vl.ch has Just been received by the May y
appears his interesting statement
In Nsy Ie15 81 aao was appropriated for the
expenses II the commission. and the sum Of S,s
hss been expended. mainly for printing There
vii D. 10 further expenses EXCEPT the printing of
this report
afsyor Mcclellan has sen II the commission the
following letter appTeciative ot the work done hy IL.
have received the hnaI report of your commits
s'o1 and desire 70 express 70 you ana throlsh you:
the members Of the commission my hesrticst
traCHs fer li2e service NOu have rcndered 10 tho
The problems tie commission vas requested 10
consider difficult Of sourion and OF vital
sr5 with remarkable efficiency.
The Legislature was so impressed BY the char
ze-er - the commission. and with the clear and
1ogicai presentation Of the reasons for its recon-
77osed without agitation and without opposition
Tie commission has brought II he consideration
law fnance and administration. II would hardly
rave been possible for tn city 10 have secured Tor
~ you and your associates
Edgar ) Levey is chairman Of the commission
and TIE other members with the committees on
which they have served. follows Commit
on taxation and revenue. Lawson Purdy- Ed
win 2 4. SelizTnan. Francis Lynde Stetson. Joseph
F1aae Edward 1. Eeydecker and David z Austen;
committee on the city debt and special assess
-nents. Edvz-d NJ shepard. John L Cad7aladeT.
Herman a Metz. Francis Key Fenoieton anu
Frank J Goodnow- committee Oh accounting and
statistics Frederick A. Cleveland. Herman hiooer
Julian n FairchiId. John Crane and John c,
IEertle
The committee has reported from time 10 tllne'
FIVE such reports having already heen made puo-iC
covering TIE various phases Of the sloJecIh ~HV
<st 7epo-r showed that the Uncollected taxes out
standing on Ocrcber l. zs5. amounted 10 s''9-7.-
$3.50 of which II was estimated that so 'Fl'- q
tsoule 81 90 90 being on account u uncoilec'eo
personal taxes was uncollectable- II vas ascer-
-s--e5 that he uncoIIectabIe taxes were increas-
srlr - -he rate Of about = 100000 year Follow
f-E this legislation vas PASSED providing for tuho-
.7z the arrears IN taxes and gradually Wlplng
1he-1 oE the books. Another law provided for IN
rlud.nE II the budget each year an amoInt equal
- the arrears for The previous year thus keeping
-re books clear from vea- 70 year
Tie second report or the commission, II Decer11-
be- lers declared that the law regulating The taxa
tier q personal property vas defective and recon-
-nerde5 thai . bill changing the system should b
submitted u Z vote of the people. This has not
been done vet
4 report On the collection OF arrears and real
and assessments SlurllIttl III
-~oeuber. 7e7- which resulted in . bill amending
nc charter relative n The sale of lands for taxes.
assessments and water rents. This went into e1ect
s- October ~ rfe new the riry sells the tax
-fe- on The property. which IS in some respects
similar { mortgage
IN A--n ~ report vas submitted dealing
with the city 6err III relation 30 the constitutional
limit a. Indebtedness. and submitting consttu-
r.1nzI amendment which would exclude from The
bonded Indebtedness all such no-eEs - are used
fo- works <vh5~h bring +7 income IN excess ot
--e interest On tr.e bonds issued fcr the same.
report ~ -he commission in June 1901. dealt
with me defects i- the system of accounting used
~ The civ and recourrerGed certain Improvements
winch are being carried oIr-
-h= commission reported aEainsE change in the
15--= -o- collection cf taxes