The sun., 1908-11-01

msnta asked for moro money than - re.
ofiired Ia do the work contemplated ana
n the Comptroiler's ONCE fnds that tnese
departments can improve tneiI metn0tos t
that ONCE shouid Be- supported by tax-
payers In taking q step that Tor the ume
being may be unpopular.
For humanitarian departments az well
az others salary increases were refused.
Great Disappointment 10 exprSsseo py oeI
sstate men demand at this time that the J
Board OF Estimate and Apporttonmsnt
anpoint a commission TO etandardiHe
saiaries throughout AL departments. that
Instructions be given TO Btandafdize doVn
as well as up and that once i0r gu II %
ployees are worth and how much par
bc,,,sr ,obs are worthf Within the next
few yeelra the agitation { q increasing
taaoherai salaries Will be ~ again, and
when the budget for 1910 otfnes around
thousands Of requeste MH DC Haoo s9
at thia titne would undoubtedly be needed
that an Investigation be made p throw
iiaht upon the diBcrepancies tnat maR
now exist. whether In ths schools or e.ssi
where, among people doing the sane
quantity and quality OF service ~
spending q small amount sor III. monsy wv "
=
cave millions during the next Few years.-
Chiefly though the work OF the burean
of Municipal Research the budget TOT
1000 represents the most earnest onort
ever made In any American oity, nrst,
10 inform taxpayers ana omo,ais q 70
budget estimates. and. second, TO base
bId9et allowances upon evidence. The
weaknesses of the budget are que pri-
marily to lack OF evidence. Wherever
proof could be given. or could be ehciied
that sums requested were not neeoep
the committee did not allow the requeetIe
Wherever satisfactory evidence could
not be given for increase or extension
renuests were not allowed. To be con-
sistent. the committee did allow the
June 30, 1908, payroll to stand In every
case where there was no positive evi-
denoe that IL was unnecessariiy mrge;
Iikewise the supply basis for the first
six months of June, 1908. was accepted
wherever there was lack oi positive
evidence that this was exorbitant; the
present budget is consistent budget
based upon the best evidence available.
The only way the budget could nave
was to have made arbitrary decisions
and to have given up the principle that
evidence should determine both amount
and distribution OF the budget Here
there is fair ground for debate. Tax
PAYERS can reasonably affir7n the resoiu-
taxpayers' conference that the Board
of Estimate and Apportionrnent. should
have anticipated in the budget for 1909
economies that certainly must be enected
by changes for which the board has voted.
SO with regard TO salary rules, the tax,
Of Estimate and Apportionment, and be-
lieve that even the January, 1908, pay
roll was larger than need to have been
recognized In the budget for 1909. Many
owners of real estate perhaps feel like
contending that while evidence is ale
sumption, an assumption that conforms
to universal conviction is fairer tbrn
an assumption contrary to universal
conviction and official admission.
1t is not unreasonable TO say that in
default of facts the Board Of Estimate
was under obligation to act in conformit,
with inferenoes drawn from the budget
exhibit to make an absolute reduction
from the 1908 salaries and supplies. Man,
taxpayers believe that the so-called Ire-
vaifing rate Of wages paid by the city
does not prevail outside Of the city oe-
partments.
But despite differences Of opinion the
Bureau of Municipal Research has en-
phasized the fact that the Board Of Es-
innate and Apportionment has met tax
payers moro than half way; that Incl
vidually and through representative
that board has worked harder than nase
taxpayers to use information containeI
sia departmental estimates; that estimates
were got up to show the taxpayer
exactly where increases were asked for
and exactly. where the 1908 budget ha1
gone; that ample time was given taxpayers
to discuss budget cstimates; that the
budget for 1909 was voted with conditions
that insure more careful spending than,
ever before: that even the borough bucg.
eta and those OF the Mayor and Comp.
c,sssed In open session; that an attitude
Of complete candor has been assumei
by the leading city officials. and that the
taxpayer obligation is now measured
by their opportunity. The taxpayers
have been given BY city officials a greater
measure OF participation In government
than has ever before been known In any
American city.