New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-06
D,,dicts S25O,OOO.OOO Bud
20, for 1919, with Tax
pate Still Climbing.
DINING EXPENSES
NOW AT MINIMUM
..y.oatiye" Legislation and Ne"
n',srue Necessary, He Says,
70 Avoid Bankruptcy.

...rf lC~ls Iti.'N
'.. 5.r .. witness and pictured
.,mo,t eslamitous condition Of
....,. = ei,y finances unless help came
\. way Of less mandatory and more
,,ntiv. legislation.
:. ,,.dict.d 8 s2so,ooo,ooo budget
u, 1919, with the tax rate climbing in
...,,,slv higher year by year. The
,.,l, lsv. he said. not in the present
.'.v administration, where expenses
- b..p reduced, but in the eity's
l,rr. burden from the direct state tax
- o,her sources entirely beyond the
81 ~ the administrative officials.
william T. Bone, an auditor in the
go, Controllers Office, who preceded
v,yo, Mitchell on the witness stand
- p;cture equally black Of the
-, future financial condition. He
s,,l.,eS there was practically no pros
-. n the state meeting its future
..l;ss,ions on an annual income based
4, ,be present system Of obtaining
,.,.,ues. II anything, the annual in
.or. was likely TO decrease under the
,r.,,it system Of taxation.
rtbe s27.OOO,OOO asked for the COM
,,,.ion Of the state barge canal were
,o,.Sst the coming election, Mr.. Boone
testified. the state debt on January
would be about s26Oo00,OOo, as com
,,rsd with the 1910 state debt Of S57.-
ssOssO. He estimated the direct state
az A. sbou, s2O.OOO.OOO in 1919, and
s,sd il at that fgure thereafter. He
estimated the direct tax at s12.500.000
n 1917. sl7OO0,OO0 in 1918 and more
han sls.OOO.OO0 for the following year.
s25O,OOO,OOO Guess Conservative.
Based or the Controllers estimate Of
.hs direct tax for the coming years,
Mayor Mitchell made his own estimates
70 the committee. showing the great
AMOUNT Of increased expenses, includ-
rg the burden Of direct tax, which the
city would have 70 shoulder, irrespec-
iye Of administration expenses, up TO
'ggo-expenses that would have TO be
iddsd TO a 5000 100000 budget, its pres
rn; size, assuming the administrative
expenses could be kept down TO that
hgure. In 1919, the Mayor estimated,
ibis additional increase En- the budget
would amount TO approximately $780,
10000.
The Mayor considered his estimate
ola s25oOOO,OO0 budget really conserv-
alive. He thought adm nistrative eX-
pfhses might be kept about where they
are now by continuing the economies
oi this year. The Mayor was permitted
70 give his testimo ony without interrup-
uons, except for a question now and
ihen By Bronson Winthrop, counsel TO
he committee, and Senator ogden l..
Nils, It's chairman. He had his tabu-
sied facts, figures and estimates with
him.
We may assume that you have made
"
sas the opening question Of Mr.. Win
ihrop.
The Mayor smiled and declared that
,. hst "tried hard" Then he asked 10
% permitted TO describe the pay-as-
lo1-go policy adopted by the Board Of
hsumste last year and pOlrt out pres
'nt conditions Is he saw them, with
'sumsies regarding the prospective
conditions q the next few years. Inc
result OF the present financial policy,
se sad, would be 20 increase materially
as'ng the next few years the tax rate
el 70. city, but after a period Of five
W SIX years The rate would be gradu-
.ly reduced again, and al the end of
Nen'y or twenty-five years would be
"a 'ne other side OF the line and still
ss''easing each year.
Expenses at Minimum.
The Mayor pointed out that the 1915
ssseget Was SlSs. .eS9.7 .766, an increase Of
.sovVV,VOJ over 1914, despite the fact
- Acministration eXpe SIS had been
''oesed more thar Sl.5OO0OO. Speak
o. next years budget. the Mayor
sS mere would be q material increase
eeo' service because Of the carrying
S1p,nses Of the ffteen-year serial
s'nes' issued instead Of fifty-yoar
.sns .sSnnos as was the cd custom, and other
ss'saAons incurred before the pay-as-
'0srgo policy wes adopted.
a Dut y seems 10 me-" he said, with
~, balances Of decreases set against
.ae balances Of increases il should not
AVeeo' unless by very small figure,
ne budget Of 1915. This would be
..ght about only, however. by the
nI.'hued ~ practice OF rigid economy.
~. increase, u any. will be due to
me Mayor considered that admin
As.Ne expenses had been cut down
wv 70 the minimum.
IN 'ne basis OF existing service you
,-t decrease administrative eX-
ss.s, ne said, "unless We get some
-, ~sNe legislation. OF course. IL you
uo"n service you will reduce ex-
s,,1'-h you close your schools, hos
-, " sno other institutions but | am
s,, one who believes in reducing the
Hs.ent service.
/, .ne NNm-the crushing item which
Is,sV,hg TO lay on the taxpayers in
"A. the direct state tax, Of which
lg0.s '""ie amounts TO Sl5,y'o,-
,,n.'hi ~ 'his point the Mayor gave his de-
~ u estimates Of added expenses for
A.1t Tour years. irrespective Of ad-
''''rs'ion expenses.
No subway Returns.
f,r,n.Se Increases arc due TO three
s,,ss, alone" he said. FIRST. the
"aee, state tax; second The interest ON
eay bonds. and, third. TO The new
irr,.s-Ee-go policy, instead OF forever
e,ss ssslng the bonded debt until the
goes INTO bankruptcy"
'ihg 70 the new subways and
'h"'d on PAGE ~. column