New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-25
CALLS ATTENTION
TO 1916 BUDGET
President of Real Estate
BOARD Seeks Reduction
inLetter to Mayor.
ASKS ABOLISHMENT
OF BRIDGE DEPT.
c.n BE Transferred to Other
Divisions of the Govern
ment, He Says.

laurence NJ. D. Mcclure, president
-, the Real Estate Board OF New
WI Yesterday sent letter to Mayor
y;tebel and members of the Board of
-..;r,ste in reference TO the 1916 bud
SET
7, II he calls attention TO the pres
-. condition of the real estate market.
...srting that the Mayor no doubt is
'ws7e Of its stagnation. The burden
- taxation, he says, falls upon real
state. and that an increase in the
h,sret means increased taxation, and
.A,+ a budget surgery" is necessary.
avba, would happen >" he asks, should
10 resl estate owners insist upon a re-
,,..;on Of assessments on their hold
80, az is warranted by market cordi-
t!ons!"
"a recommends the adjustment OF
,bs Bridge Department, as suggested
~ the Real Estate Board last year.
M McGuire's letter in part follows.
DESPITE the promises of rigid econ
cmy. the payroll disbursements Of ;he
City Of New York for the year 1914,
the first year Of your administration,
increased S3.764,125 over 1918, or $40
Ter cent. consider it timely there
fore 70 call your attention 10 this
fact, as budget making for 1916 is
about 70 begin.
"The burden Of taxation falls upon
real estate-and you are TO doubt
aware Of the stagnation in the real
estate market and the significance of
This. There has been OF necessity a
reduction of assessments in some quar-
ters, but no corresponding reduction in
the taxpayers interest. An increase
in the budget means increased taxa
ton, consequently there is no common
surate offset.
IN the circumstances il must be ap-
parent that budget surgery is neces-
sary. Why not lend an ear to those
who pay, instead of those who eat, the
taxes?
What would happen, for instance
should the real estate owners insist
upon such q reduction of assessments
on their holdings as is warranted by
market conditions? The law says that
property shall be assessed AZ a sum
for which it would sell under ordinary
conditions. To justify present assessed
valuations on the ground that exist
ing conditions are not ordinary condi-
fioDs iS merely n ouibble
IF the tax assessors should appraise
on the basis Of conditions that must be
considered normal your debt margin
would be wiped out. And with your
source Of income so reduced, and the
present rate Of expenditure maintained,
the city would be brought into bank
ruptcy.
"The Real Estate Board is of the
opinion that budget-making is purely
business proposition. A business house
would not hesitate an instant 10 cut
down its expenses to meet conditions.
Il would seem, then, that this is the
time 70 stop experimenting, TO halt all
Improvements except those of actual
necessity.
There should also by this time be
some apparent beneficial results to the
taxpayers from the 100000 expended
to standardize positions and equalize
pay. VIII there be no compensatory
saving to justly the outlay Of this vast
sum?
"And what Of approximately 100000
appropriated for the investigation of
the school system? What economies
have been effected, what gain has been
made IN efficiency?
"And why not abolish, as suggested
BY the Real Estate Board last year, the
Bridge Department? That might re-
qulre legislation, but some of the de-
partment's activities can be transferred
at once 70 other divisions of the gov
eminent and the heavy carrying
charges for high salaried and useless
officials could be made a substantial
saving. Could not the Bureau of High
ways in the respective boroughs attend
10 II? Or a superintendent of bridges,
with small force, might be able to
look after these structures.
Careful consideration should also be
gwen 10 the suggestion of Controller
Frendergast to do away with the Office
STATS and clerks of committees and
some bureaus Of the Board of Estimate,
thereby efecting a saving of about
100000.
Numerous other costly cosey cor
ners Ike the Bridge Department might
be dispensed with if you apply the acid