New-York tribune., 1909-03-09
REYLsION COMJIISSTON'S
REPORT 1T ALBANY.
Borough Presidents to Lose Poser
Council of 80 to Replace
Board of .4IderWCH.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune

mttteeS- The report and Dill were DEOuSuL -
Albany by William NJ WINS
Too few Of the legislators have seen the char
ter report tonight or have any idea Of its con-
tents to permit any adequate idea Of the senti-
nent concerning it to be formed. Il is certain
that representatives Of all the borOughs will
fight hard to retain more Of borough autonomy
than this proposed draft leaves Senator Nc
Carren already is on record with such a state
nent The abolishment Of the Board OF Alder
men and their pay and solemn privileges also
will create more or less Of a stir
Political opposition to the entire document or
greater or less seriousness. will come from Tam
many Hall Inasmuch as the Republicans IN
New York City have not made their wishes
known in anything like definite shape to iegis-
lative leaders. the fate Of charter legislation
seems to rest at present largely on the length OF
the session and the disposition Of legislators TO
avoid work OF that nature.
One Of the features Of the proposed new char
ter which was presented to the Legislature last
night is the Capitalization Of authority and the
abolishment Of the administrative and executive
powers Of the borough presidents. most Of whose
duties are to be vested in a commissioner or
street control TO be appointed by the Mayor
This is one OF the features OF the charter
which will unquestiOnably meet with Hucn op-
positfon. AImet r. Latson. one OF the Brooklyn
cor
in q memorandum dissenting from this as well
as two other parts Of the report He suggests
9. zrbs+itUte in the election by each borough OF
a member of the Board OF Estimate the Bor-
oueb President TO retain his present powers OF
administration.
Harrison : Moore and Alfred J. Boulton. who
also signed the report. handed IN separate
memorandum favoring the election OF an exec
utfve and separate member Of the Board OF
Estimate from each borough
r3orougb President Cromwell OF Richmond and
u " Niles Of The Bronx. also signed the re-
rort. but dissented from the conclusions OF the
,natoritv regarding the administration OF bor-
/ ough affairs
/ ARo1JsHFS BOARD OF ALDERMEN
-rns charter as proposed by the commission
aboIishes the Aqueduct Board ana 5'eLo -
/ f,oroners.. reduces the membership of the Bosrd
: of -E,sucstion - fftsen aboIshes the Board or
I Aldermen the seveuty--three members Of whi'n
ye+ - nnN 2 year. and establishes COUNCIL ~
.tbfrrv-ufne members. - serve without pt''
without any power over grants Of franchises
The term Of the Mayor remains At four years
but his salary is increased from >l'tt'' 70 -
nOO wear The salary Of the PresidshI Oh 'i-T
council. who Is 70 be FIce-Mayor. IS 2lat7u =
| $1,000 The President OF the P'7S=ll'
Aldermen gets 5000
~ bs constituted as at present. and is to y
SORT Of executive and finance committee OF t1e
r,,,1fcipsI corporation. The borough presldentS
will be supposed to devote all OF their uns %
the duties Of the board, and are to receive sl'r
600 each The present borough Presideh'S
s. 500 with the exception OF the FTssiozLlIs FTssio -
o,,sens and Richmond. whose salaries are Soe'N-
The Mayor will continue to appoint aiiu
-,o,-a AZ Measure all heads Of departments Ger
hers NJ
-rba Droposed charter repeais all nandalo'N
.,o~- - axi=+tnz laws relative TO salaries q
v,oItcsr,sn. fremen. school teachers, heaas 9
d.r.-+r,snts and bureaus and all other appoint
s-- IT, and county officials. on this the report
SAYS: -
The commission firmly conyased .655l, ta3f sqe s
Board Of Estimate and AppoIs 70 ssrsries sub
tscf Of course their reduction oy NJ a..
Exclusive OF payments under the soDs % a. Least
rs 900 90 a year are hXsd ny In7 sT,r,s1cs
ssifTstion is unjust TO taxpayers. ana Is dli1i'
ani exceptional
The statement that salary appropriations as
a.a+ire S35 100000 a year are hxed oy tns
IArislature will give some idea OF the eNten'
~ the opposition that will be raised over '"-S
s,ction of the charter II IS provided tnat Al.
salaries shall remain as at present until changed
bv the Board OF Estimate
SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE
In addition 70 a police commissioner, as under
tia nreseut charter. the new charter provinces
for a sr,perirtendent from the uniformed torce.
yrbo shall have charge Of the work Of the de-
partment-
,srbans the most important single department.
created concentrates in a single department
,,rder the citv.s chief executive all affairs OF
s+-aat control now divided among certain ap-
pointees of the Mayor and the elected borough
presid ents for whose acts he IS not responsioe-
-rbe Dsrar rtu1ent of Street Control viii maintain
the sama administrative Offices in the boroughs
that the borough presidents do now. except IN
the case Of the Buildings Department. and pub
lie facilities for doing local business VIII not be
impaired
This departm,u was created in accordaucs
uitb the opinion Of the Charter Revision Com
mission Of 1907. the following remarks Of which
are made a part of the present report
II has seemed to the commission that Depart
nert Of Street Control should be created with ali
the jurisdiction vested in the borough presl-
dsr ftb respect 10 the construction and repair ot
I streets. sewers. paVementS and other Structlres
/ openings for all purposes in street surfaces anu
In addition it should exercise all street cIesuius
fIrctions have charge of lighting the streets. and
| Department of Water supply Gas and ElectrleiJy'
/ II short IN ShouLl possess all authority and con-
troll over the streets. except the regulation Of traffic
/ bv the Police Department and the care OF the
! water mains laid under the streets
This Of course. does away with the DEPART
/ nnent of street Cleaning
The duties of the present borough presidents
regarding the supervision Of building Construc-
tion. exercised through their sIperintendents OF
buildings are TO be placed in the hands Of
central building department. such existed