New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-20
AIDS FOR CONTRACTORS.

Among all the bad provisions of the
proposed charter for New York City
there is one of paramount viciousness.
1t is the indefensible proposition to rob
the Controller of audit power over GER
tain very important items Of city ex-
pendture, without giving audit power
10 any other independent board or Off
cial. In the light of experience it
would be as sensible for New York 10
submit to a charter containing such pro-
visions as for defenceless man TO ex-
pose a huge roll Of bills in Helfs Kitch-
en-.
Under the proposed charter the Con
troller might not audit amounts ceru-
fled by the head Of a department, board,
body or office, 10 be due on contracts
other than open market orders, includ-
ling contracts for the purchase or lease
"of real property" Such expenditures
are estimated by the Bureau of Munich
pal Research 10 amount 10 about 500
100000 q year With the foregoing pro-
vision. that its full purport may be ap-
preciated, must be read another section,
entitled Payments to Contractors :
The head Of q department, board, body
"or office. having charge Of any work, or
the furnishing of supplies, within five
DAYS after the acceptance of such work
cor supplies shall file with the Control
Ger a final certificate of the completion
and acceptance thereof, signed by the
head Of the department, board, body or
"office. The filing of such certificate
shall he presumptive evidence that the
work has been completed and the sup
piles have been furnished according 70
contract
In practice. then, if this were the law
the head of q department would let q
contract the terms Of which would be
largely dictated by himself, would pass
on its fulflment by the contractor. 3nd
certify the amount or amounts due for
payment. The Controller would have
no right or power to investigate or audit;
he must pay. The man who conceived
The need for the spending Of city money
and who spent it would certify that full
value had been received for 1t and order
payment as he chose. IF the millennium
morn had dawned and each place OF
nublic trust were to be filled by spot
/ less saint. such provisions would be care
I less and slovenly lawmaking. If New
York CITY had never had ignorant, fool
ish or corrupt public officials and con
| tractors scandals from Twced'S time TO
| Ahearn's and Gresser'S, the presence OF
such sections in the proposed charter
could be overlooked because of the
euilelessness of its drafters. If The
Iterm "Tammanv contractor had rot
| srch familiar ring, and If the record
made by Mr.. Jerome in the Skene trial,
that Tammany put a gO-hetveen into the
State Engineers office 10 get money out
Of contractors. were not unchallenged,
the public might be inclined TO ascrihe
No sinister purpose 10 these provisions.
Taken in conjunction with two other pro
yisions-that forhidding the Commis-
sionpr Of Accounts 10 investigate any de
nc eminent unless ordered by the Mayor
70 do so. and the other permitting the
destruction Of departmental records on
the say-so Of the Mayor and his ap-
nointee. the Corporation COunsel-they
need more justification than anybody
has furnished yet. Whoever might ben
eft by the adoption Of q charter contain
inc this fine scheme of interlocking pro
visions. certainly the taxpayers would
not