The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-17
BRUERE FOR SINGLE
COLLECTION OFFICE
No Logic in Present Arrange.
ment for Gathering City
Revenues, lie Says.
VIEWS ON BANK DEPOSITS

Although Chamberlain Bruere has in
creased the city's revenue by s1i4.041
IN eleven months-enough to pay the
.o., OF his Office twice OVERLY in
,rsasing the interest received from
hanks on city deposits he still believes
IN. onlce should either be abolished or
n, made a genuine department OF the
,i,y treasury with the duty Of collect
ing money as well as safekceping It.
In his annual report to the Mayor,
made public yesterday, he says there
4, no logic in the present arrangement
whereby water revenues are collected by
the Water Department, license fees by
The License Department. taxes and Az
m by the Comptroller and permi,
fees by a host Of bureaus and offices.
Good administration" he says. de
mands that there be one central collec-
ton office for all city revenues, as every
recent Charter Commission after a study
has recommended
In his judgment responsibility for all
Mcai functions Of the city should be
placed III tHt FlIldutt department and
there Is no need OF a separate treas
merging the Chamberlain's with the
Comptroller's office would increase
rather han decrease current expendl-
ture. but In the end would be a good
arrangement.
New York, the Chamberlain says, Is
the largest city borrower In the world.
il borrowed more han $3.50. 000, 900 In
1918 and loans to the banks in the
form OF deposits $500, ooo,O 900 a year.
II am in favor" he says. "of dis
iributing deposits just rs widely. first
as safety requires and. second, as the
credit advantage TO the city warrants.
City deposits should not be used as a
form of patronage. II they are so used
they will Don or later again be
abused. TIL principle governing dis
iributions should be either In the form
OF interes, on balances. with safety as
the first consideration, or credit accom-
notation afforded. or both"
He suggests that the number Of city
repositories might he reduced to those
banks which are able individually "a
lend the city $500. 900 under the legal
limitation Of 10 per cent. of the banks
capital and surplus.
This proposal in private business
would seem to be wholly sound" he
says. The question as to whether IL Is
a proper arrangement for a munici.
pality warrants further consideration.
my Judgment is that the city should
strive TO reduce the necessity for Dor
rowing funds by shifting back the
date OF tax payments. From the se,ni.
annual tax payment plan instituted by
Comptroller Prendergast In 1911 the
greatest benefit has been derived"
Mr.. Bruere also says there is nc
sumcient reason for continuing the
Sinking Fund Commission as an indie.
ptndent body merely for the custody OF
sinking funds. He would have the
COMMISSIONS functions transferred "a
the Board of Estimate.
More M more" he says, "the city
II Is to be well governed. should de.
velop toward the city manager plan. In
the organization of the city govern
ment. due to the patchwork method OF
charter revision for the last fifteen
years, we have In many respects
sppped halfway In the achievement OF
businesslike. effective results. One OF
the distinct relics OF the past order OF
things Is the office of Chamberlain"