The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-20
DEVICES TO RAISE SALARIES
BOARD OF. EDUCATION PRACTI.
CALLY ACCUSED or TRICKERY.

Bureau or Municipal Research Says II
Expands the Payroll In June ss q
Standard for the Next Budget
Hospital Board Also 'Eauanzes Up
The Bureau Of Municipal Research
doesn't like the attitude Of the Board
Of Education and Of the board which
manages Bellevue and Allied Hospitals
toward salary increases. The stand taken
by these boards. the bureau complains
in a statement given out yesterday. Is as
bad as that Of other boards which are
avowedly political.
There is too much 4equalizing up" and
not enough "equalizing down." says
the bureau. which proves shat the tax
payers Of New York have been wearing
Simpie Simon hats for a great many
years" Two illustrations are found.
It states. in the estimates submitted
by the school board and the Bellevue and
Allied Hospitals board. go.
-The Bellevue board says the state
ment. assigns reasons for many Of its
increases. Efficient hospital helpers, 1t
10 maintained, q never be expected
30 long as this class is paid considerably
less than sweepers in the Street Cleaning
Department. Other increases are asked
for on the general grounds of 'merited
by length of service and efficiency
Another reason Ii that the army
or State institutions are paying moro
for similar service. One, favored son
or daughter in civil service 10 allowed
TO set q precedent for 1000. The city
budgets have shown that there are too
rno&v oaaao ~ Norptiftfn0 ana ,-sll1-,
to make a summer. For" some Of the
proposed increases no reasons are given
except that the Aldermen have approved
Them
The bureau finds the stand Of the school
board quite as open to criticism. "Thanks
TO the new facts required by the Bureau
Of Municipal Investigation and Stats
TO explain what has hitherto been a mys-
scribed in October as absolutely lneoes-
sary to prevent departments from going
to rack and ruin are found on January
1 big enough for innumerable increases
The Juno payroll is expanded both
by adding employees during May or
June and. by increasing. ealares. Then
before the Board Of Estimate and Appor-
tionmsnt with candid. eyes and altruistio
Infection and say that they are only
asking for the amount Of money neoes-
The point, for the taxpayer to remember
IL that the equalizing up process makes
the base with which the budget for 1905
Is TO be compared when arguing before
the Board Of Estimate-not the budget
OF 1907. not the budget Of 1908, but an
inflated payroll, for June. 1908. The
bureau included in it's statement lists
Of figures which proved. it maintains,
Its contention that the School Board
padded its payrolls for the purpose Of
boosting its 1863 appropriation.
As regards teachers salaries they are
fixed by law and by agitation the state
ment says. THE Board Of Education
In disbursing almost all OF the general
fund Of Sal .03s. o75. The board has been
under certain oompulsion Of public opin-
lon to submit increases in salary aggre-
eating about $500 600. With regard to
other items there 10 an opportunity for
read justment; for example the average
attendance In one vacation school having
fifteen teachers Is 156. while in vacation
Fairgrounds the average per teacher
In Manhattan ranges from ee, to 27e.
Where such discrepancies exist there
is presumption Of waste either OF tar
payers money or Of pupils time"
The abatement concludes with: ~,
-,Tne Greater New fOrK' taxpayers
Conference will endeavor. to obtain from
the president OF the Board of Education
during the coming discussion Of the bud
got for 1909 his explanation of the nu-
merous departures from the
dstions made by the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment concerning which
President Winthrop said when before
tho Board OF Aldermen November 20,
l907. ~ feel that we are morally bound
to carry them out and shall uso my best
endeavors. The question has been asked
whether ! consider them binding, and
L thought ii was