New-York tribune., 1908-12-22
DISCUSS CITY FINANCE
WARNING FROM Mr.. WINS.
Lauson Purdy and Edgar j. LeUey
Also Talk on ProLlem.


NJ WINS chairman Of the Charter Revision com
mission: Edward J. Levey. ex-Deputy Cohlrohe!'
and Lawson Purdy president Of the lax boaL Lo'
were the stated speakers. Their remarks were loi-
lowed by a general discussion by cIuo 'nenIp7t'
and quests among whom were Controller M~'
and Senator MoCarren, DIR. E. r L. Goulo' Ut
Frederick A. Cleveland. of the Bureau OF AuniCi-
pal Research. Horace White and many legisla'oA
While there hint of partisan pohtlce IN
the discussion there was emphatic note OF uls-
satisfaction with existing conditions, ana per
sistent demand that the voters be educa1eu' sSot
rnaticaliy and thoroughly, TO the dangers OF tn9
nresent course and the necessity for change and
Improvement Mr.. WINS and President McEAhehJ ol
the club pointed that the city was near the
end OF its financial rope. and Mr Purdy sad . 'nes
were talking in conservative terms MI Levy
showed graphically that with the city losing I'M
portant industries through present high taNatloh
and fear Of higher more and more HoleS
must be exacted TO meet demands for puoHc I'M
provements of various natures And the mora OF
the whole tale was: THE people pay ana the wage
pay most 1T,
Mr. Purdy though was somewhat optimistic
He declared that, bad conditions Were ne De-
Heved that the city for the last twenty-five yeaI'
had been getting nearer and nearer to the worm Oh
its money. He also had some speciho susseslOHS'
notably a permanent land court for the con-
demnation OF land and review of assessments ana
kindred duties. and the establishment OF solt
Of suggestion bureau within the city government
somewhere for the working out OF IDEAS lot fnu-
nicipal economies and improvements
ISSUE OF COMING CAMPAIGN.
President McAneny Of the club began the discus
sion with declaration that the entire issue OF the
coming municipal campaign was bound 10 De Ona'
of the citys finances and the sanity of government"
IT'S an issue larger than we have had to srapple
with in years. he said. 'and the fact OF the sltua
ton is that in finances we have not been pFooeeo
ing wisely. SO that It has got to be matter OF
habit"
Mr.. WINS did not mince words In reoitns tne ae
tails the present situation He declared tla'
find ourselves the edge of munlclpaI laliuIe
Mr. Wins said he regarded the meeting as 'i
oneninp Of great debate concerning the reform OF
the charter and the government Of the CITY, 10 con
tinue from until the close OF the next seo t
OF the Legislature He declared that hothiils ~
said or did be believed to be dlctateu oy any
consideration of personal consequences. tnat ne
was not and would not be a candidate TOT th7
nlayoralty nomination. Mr.. WINS continued;
and cheerfuiiy, is ending in doubt and in mstrust
of ourselves We closing a decade OF oI.,er eA-
T5cb {T5EasaPf beTe @ be BY greater
of civic sobrety than nv we & nke 6f the last
ten challenges the respect 4b nTese3t tine
upon the edge of municipal failure The PeoRR5se Rs
may DANGEROUSLY blame the entire P0eE poo Gt Ten
years and yet the fault is, in word tnat Oh tne
pGo snail make no no reference to the gross debt
Sf s 'Hs 3 S e1oSP6 M6en 10 gesteT Tes 5 VI YORK
being January l, 1S9s the net funded qePI GsS
debt, Calculated upon the basis Is sS86
This however snon5d oe tIaf teB Years ago the
assessment of real and !ergona B6operty i+ LOT Pu
total assessed valuation for next year OF -5o %
% e. ls M nea9 faSI that our wealth has doubled.
9cPal fast is this & that IS fys0 s oo BSPueh6oR 3 Mho
we shall presently have the taxation is oyer $s
per capT Tacb Oh family is Compelled sooner or later
to earn this amount of money and to pay II & over
todifso'y tn he sgpPo fa4u6 81 the This
/ q q
and the immensely rich. But the rich man realizes
The indirect taxpeyer clamors for increase in
the functions OF g0yerTd' gaTd to G cost Largely upon
the theory that he is getting these Things for noun
It is true gets tho water which he actually
consumes or wastes largely t4p homs: s:iI oT u sar -
for nothing The burden is ultimately upon him
The irreducible items in the budget. such ap
nropriaticns for the service education, police
fire. charities and street cleaning Mr. WINS said
called for S113,O77.OOO. and this amount was eK-
elusive of what other city departments should
have He said that the revenues from the general
fund would probably not exceed S2S,00000. and de-
Quoting that from the total appropriation Tor All
p,irposes namely S155 100000 would leave $lZfOV1oO
to be collected from taxation That, considering
the Sl3O77 900 Of irreducibe items. would be within
ga COO 600 or so Of the cys capacity to increase in
come from taxes. He said:
The next government Of the city will find itself,
fear its & but VINO never
theless cannot supply the government with the
| means of meeting those expectations, and nTmy
heIieve that it will be far and easier to find
con eeat the 'f han an It viii for the people
eeIves to realize the most competent men can
not meet millennial expectations out OF STRAIT
ened treasury
F. w Hinrichs at the end Of Mr. Ivins's ad-
dress wanted to know If Mr.. Wins had considered
the matter OF relief for transit conditions, for in
stance through the local assessment area scheme.
Mr 1vi.s rstorted that he had. and If the people
had wanted subways that way they could have had
them but they wouldn't take them. Mr.. Hinrichs
bard1, agreed with him. and WINS declared
that subwsys built that way wouldn't possibly pay.
and supported the statement by an anslysis OF
intcrborough finances
Mr. IAvey devoted a good part of his time to the
discussion of municipal socialism" by which he
meant the community Of taxpayers in financing the
c,tv,s improvements He said the municipal ferry
TO Staten Island in 1907 at loss of $4,000
roughly the amount OF taxes in Richmond, so that
IRE and police protection and all other city benefits
were gift from other taxpayers to that borough
Schools now had a limited medical inspection. II
the proposition followed ont TO its limit. why
not con1plee medical attendance for school children
municipal food. municipal clothes for them? Also
since there were municipal band concerts. why not
O. municipal orchestra. theatre, opera house?
In Paris there was a municipal racetrack-why not
one here as many more people would enjoy 1t than
the g 900 900 speedway maintained by the city for
its wealthy horseowners? Then he declared that If
the budget continued grow It was doing now.
in ten wears It would $50 600 Oo He wanted the
people to understand these things thoroughly.
Mr. Purdy admitted most of this although he
said on some things he had his own views.
MR. PURDYs PLANS.
THE problem" said he "is how 20 render the
best service with the least expenditure; and what
a. resources?'
He told something of the problems Of assessing
propertv saving that general property here