New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-29
Would Change Tax Provision.


This is what the Mayor has to say soou'
the personal tax provisions:
I advise that the existing provisions; Pre-
served in the proposed new charter Una b,s
persons real estate may oe sofa 10 pay ~ -
personal taxes be abolished. IL person w
assessed for personal property VINO nas II.
personal property which can be letied w.
10 satisfy the tax. then that should De ~.
end Of the matter. The existing provision
by which the Corporation CounSel can sue
him for that tax, unjustly and illegaly
levied against him, and collect u out OF hls
real estate, IL contrary 20 justice anu tIe
principles Of taxation. II man mas no
personal property out OF which a personal
lax can be collected by levy under the taT
warrant. then he should not be- subjected q
personal taxation. His real estate is taxed
and should not he subjected 70 any addi-
tional burden.
The present provision for the collection
Of personal taxes out Of real estate grew
out of the overZealousness Of persons VINO
know little or nothing about the principles
Of taxation, and only looked 10 getting
money into the city treasury by hook or
by crook.
Discussing the auditing powers Of the
Controller. the Mayor first takes up the
claims arising out OF contracts. He speaks
of the double audit in such cases-first by
the head Of the department involved-and
u'cldfeS INdl ufllbdsODGOlc utidS VANri
occurs in the Controllers ONCE. and that
attorneys offer 10 get the bill through
speedily for a Consideration" and that
reputable contractors refuse to deal with
the city for this reason. He then adds:
Nevertheless such claims should be au-
dited by the Controllers office The fact
that abuses have grown out OF II Is no
reason for doing away with the audit. A
concerted effort should be made 30 do away
with the abuse ] think the audit of all
these claims should be left as II IL in the
present charter, as well as the audit OF
claims not arising out Of contract.
Against Special Police.
In the draft Of the proposed new charter
no chance was made from the present
charter in the matter Of special police
men The Mayor asks that this provision
be stricken out. He repeats his argument
against the appointment Of special police
men, and says he has framed a provision
under which public service corporations
may have special policemen under the
supervision Of an officer Of the regular
force and paid by the city from funds paid
into the office of the City Chamberlain in
advance.
In his opening remarks the Mayor re-
peats what he has said before about the
WINS and the Hammond charters and the
way In which the present draft was made
He then takes rap at some Of the critics
OF the latter. saying:
Wo have had full public hearings OF the
whole matter, although certain people al
ways inclined 10 pc uncharitable II in that
way they can deceive the public and there
by collect funds, call the proposed charter
the secret" charter. But we must let
them have their say and go their way. and
then do the best we can in spite of them.
have 10 bear with them all the time
here, and hope you will.
Some so-called civic organizations, nota-
bly, the so-caled Citizens Union and Blu
reau OF Municipal Research, are making
use Of their false statements about the
proposed charter 10 collect funds by means
of letters TO good citizens. They sent one
10 me. The chefest of those among them
got tho city 70 purchase a plot OF land
worth not 10 exceed sl,noooO for "a 5000 a
few years ago.
The Mayor says he will have more TO say
on the charter later in the week.