New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-01
Real Estate Board Offers
Many Suggestions to
Officials.
HOME RULE SLOGAN
once MORE SOUNDED
Organization FavOrs Passing
on Merits Of Proposed Changes
10 Local Government.

suggests to tho Beard Of Estimate the
following plan for further reducing ia"
tentative budget 20 an amount no,
greatly in excess Of The Sl93, 100000 sp-
propriated in 1914:
First Inasmuch as the Controller ~
about TO fund Sl3.000.000 OF detc!cn-
c.es in taxes by the issuance. OF cor
porate stock. would il no, he advisable
10 place in the budget the average
amount placed annually therein tor de-
neiencies about s., 500. 900 and in this
way reduce the budget by 100000?
Second IN regard 70 the borough as
sessmcnts. amounting 20 nc2r'y 81
100000 would it noJ be advisable TO
divide them into FIVE instruments under
the Gerhardt bill, thereby efectng
reduction in the budget Of 100000?
Third There would be no impropr'-
city in Withholding the appropriation q
s26 600 from the Board Of lnebrlety,
s6.225 from tho Municipal Art Com
mission and $4,000 from the Public
Recreation Commission. The work OF
tho latter commission can be done by
the recreation bureau OF the Park De
5artmeat and the recreation bureau OF
the Board Of Education.
Fourth The elimination Of iabors-
tory service would effect . large saving.
As the Real Estate Board has pointed
out. this work is being done by the
Rockefeller Laboratory. ana there could
be a very large saving IN the special
work of the Department OF Health.
Fifth 1t is highly probable that all
supervision of buildings Will very soon
be placed under proposed Depart
ment Of Buildings. with enlarged pow
ers. This plan has public and oihcial
support. No appropriations, therefore
need be made for more than SIX months
for the Tenement House Department.
Rureau Of Fire Prevention and the in
spectiOn force in the Department OF
Water Supply. Gas and Electricity and
the Board Of Health. The additional
expense Of the new Building Depart
ment when ascertained can De made by
AN issue of special revenue bonds, and
the same procedure for the second SIX
months could be followed II the plan
for a new Building Department were
not carried through. -.
The Real Estate Board says: IF
these changes are made the budget
will not greatly exceed that OF last
wear and the difference could be par
TALLY made up by the taxes on the IN
creased valuations
The Real Estate Board, looking iur-
ther into the future and recognizing
that in many important matters the
hands OF the Board OF Estimate are
tied By mandatory legislation ana
charter provisions which encourage
waste and inefiiciency, MAKES the lol-
lowing specific recommendations Tor
tho consideration of the Board o.
Estimate:
First-That absolute home rule Tor
the CITY of New York be secured from
the coming Legislature and the Consu-
tutional Convention.
Second-That an investigation be
had 20 determine whether 1t would not
be possible ard practicable to make
the following changes in the city gov
eminent:
Commissioner o. Accounts 20 the new
IL created bureaus Of the Board o. rs
innate and the Controllers oihce.
.. TO make the Controller CITY
Treasurer and abolish the Office OF the
City Chamberlain.
9. To have one central purchasing
plant. preferably by en!arglng. the
powers of the commissioners OF the
CITY Record, and central auditing ou.
reau under the control OF the Board o.
Estimate, possibly - part o. me pu-
reau of contract supervision.
l. 10 create a bureau ln the Con-
tro},e.'s oIic.. or directly under the
Sinking Fund Commissioners 10 De
lno..u as the Bureau o. City Income.
This bureau 20 have jurisdiction over
licenses. Ear,-Cts, Weights and meas
urcs and other related sources OF city
income.
>. 10 transfer the collection OF wa
tor rates TO the Controllers office, so
tSat the property owner can pay ms
water taxes where ne pays his othef
tayes. The reason for this suggestion
is that the Controllers Office, as far as
The collection OF taxes is concerned,
has comparatively little TO 90 except
around the period when taxes fall due.
6. That one commissioner be sub
stituted for the present number IN me
Park Department, and that there be
one administrative department FOR all
the parks.
:. That one commissioner be sub
.titu.ed for the present number in the
Municipal Civil Service Commission.
S. That the Department OF Heath
be charged only with the making OF
and enforcement OF sanitary regula-
tons.
9. That all social activities or the
city be transferred to the Department
Of Charities, and that most OF the So
cial work be done through the local
district settlement and church orgaai-
cations.
10. That there be but one admins
trativc department for all public
Libraries.
II. That the auditing bureau and
supply department of the Board of Ed
ucation be transferred to "The CITY
Record" and The new Auditing Bureau
70. That the head OF the Correc-
ton Department be made merely SUI
,.nr,nAnnInn4 Of c.. pricnrc