Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-03-29
MANDATORY BILL
RAPED BY MAYOR
Mr.. Haussling Writes Governor
1t Would Have Bad Effect
on Newark.


tion to Assembly bill No. 525. which,
having passed both houses of the
Legislature, is, or shortly will be, in
your hands for action. and to request
that you diSapprove this measure. In
making this request 1 am .actuated
by no partisan political move, but voice
the sentiment, unless l misinterpret 1T.
Of the g Of which am mayor, a nra
already prepared by the finance COM
mittee of the Common Council, and
signed by all the members of that com
mittee without regard to party affilia-
lions.
Assembly No. 525 provides. in effect,
that the board of street and water
class may expend yearly any sum not
exceeding in amount one and one-quar-
ter mills on each dollar of assessed
ratables for the purpose of cleanin
and repairing streets, etc. The process
by which this money is to be obtained
is mandatory, for the Board of Street
and Water Commissioners need simply
prepare an estimate of it's proposed
Expenditures under the heads men
toned and the financial body of the
city will be compelled to make the
appropriation demanded. NO llmitatlon
on the amount can be imposed, pro-
! vided 1t does not exceed the proportion
of the ratables set forth In the bill
| itself.
l believe mandatory appropriations are IN
defensible in theory and vicious in practise.
Their effect Is to weaken authority over
the expenditure of public money, to enable
responsibility to be evaded, and. finally, to
encourage extravaganza.
| object. secondly, because this bill con-
%stitutes a fragrant violation or nome RUE
principles. 1t is not desired by the city
government of Newark or by the citizens
1t has been prepared by one branch OF the
city government for its own particular
branches of the city government which
have taken eognizance of it,.
Finally, / object to the bill because or
the immediate and practical effect 1t
would. nave upon the city of Newark I'm
der its terms the appropriations for the
purposes set forth in the bill could be at
once increased in the neighborhood OF
5000 a sum representing three points in
the tax rate of the city. The appropria-
tons, latterly, by the Common Council,
to the purposes set forth in the bill. have
Increase of $40 per cent. in the last
decade. 1t would be impossible to pro-
vide for such an abnormal increase as is
permitted by this bill without increasing
the tax rate unduly or starving other de-
! paltHents.
Asain / urge upon you the necessity of
truly, JACOB HAUSSLlNG;,
The bill was> opposed by Com
mon Council of Newark, and both the
Republican and Democratic members
of the finance committee of that body
voiced their objections to the bill. 1t
was passed last night after a confer
ence of the Republican senators.
The reason for the passage Of the
bill is perhaps unprecedented. The
fact that 1t was not considered a good
measure by those hat are interested
in it, seemed to make no difference to
the Republicans. They passed it, they
said, because "Nugent had boosted
that he had put one across on Dial,
when the bill was defeated early in the
week. This statement came from a
half dozen OF those who voted for it.
They seemed to think 1t rather clever
to 'put one across On Nugent." Senator
Fielder spoke against the measure. as
he did the last time. Senator Colgate,
who championed it before left it for
Senator Read to favor last night. There
was not much talk on either side. The
bill just slipped through automatically.
Some of those present at h proceed
ing declare that Senator Edge remark
ed that the steam roller" was working
hard and satisfactorily.
Mr.. Nugent was told about his al
legged boast, about having put one
across on Dali and by way of reply
said: put nae down as saying that
made no such boast. I do not consider
Dali worth boasting about"