The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-08
CITY TO MAKE
FINAL APPEAL
ON TAX TO-DAY
Mayor and Borough Heads
to Go Before Leaders of
Legislature.
CITY CLUB HITS
At HIGHWAY BILLS

To make y final appeal for mercy In
seh,lf " New York city Mayor Mitchell
ard N, budget committee OF the Board
~ rstlmate-Comptrolle Prendergast
and Presidents McAneny. Pounds and
Na,hcwson--went to Albany last night.
A. go o'clock this morning they will
meet Elon II. Brown, majority leader.
and Henry NJ Sage. chairman of the
Finance Committee OF the Senate. They
will try 10 convince the legislative lead
ere of the need and fea sibility OF pairing
appropriations so as to reduce the d.
rec, state tax. or which this city mNst
bear a per- cent
Although the Governor has signed the
bills appropriating s4,ioo,ooo for high
vay maintenance and repair. to be paid
TO- hy direct tax. not a cent OF which
4, 10 he spent here, the city's advocates
Will ask the Legislature to reconsider
the measures This is an extraordinary
,,ouesi. but Mayor Mitchell and Presi-
dent !icAneny deem 1t justified. In gen
era they will ask that all sppropria.
tons be held down TO last years figures.
Unde~ the guise Of repairing and
maintaining upstate roads, Mr.. Nc
lneny said yesterday. the Highways
DEPARTMENT is really aiming at recon-
siructicn IN many cases. Under the
law the money for new highways must
he provided by a fifty year bond issue.
Mr. McAneny says that much OF the
proposed work should be similarly
financed. so that the whole burden would
no, he east upon this generation'of tax
PAYERS
The City Club goes even further than
Nj M,Aneny in a letter which President
Nelson : spencer and Secretary Robert
5 Biuketd sen. to Senator Brown and TO
Speaker sweet Of the Assembly yester-
day.
CT, club Criticises Tax.
On many instances" says this letter.
-the schedules show that the appropria-
tons are to he used, not for main
tenance and repair. as the act set forth,
hat FOR furnishing village streets AZ the
expense of lite State or for completely
rebuilding state highways under the
fuIse OF repairs"
scrt which. IL is charged. violate at
least the spirit of the law regarding
bond ISSUES. For example. 1t is pro-
pose 'o pave the village street of Endi-
cot, Broume county, with brick AZ "A
COS; ~ more than $500 This street.
says the city Club. is less than "A mile
f. length and is part of a State road
whose original cost was slightly more
than 10000 d mile. The letter con-
tinues
"yg road No ESQ in Plattsburg. Gin
ton county. Il IS proposed to expend
'iF.a30 on a stretch of 20 miles In
length. This road was built IN 1906 end
It's original construction cost but -s,l06
Ter mile.
on road No. "a in Brighton Monroe
county, IL is proposed 10 expend over
10000 ON a stretch 81. miles in length.
TIE ofl-,nal construction of this road
vs. only SS.375 per mile.
"pr road No. 90 in Chill, Monroe
county, On a stretch less than miles
Il lergt. II H. proposed to eXpend APP
IroNWttely $4,000. when the original
c'1s'rIction of tho road cost but $3.50
pc mile
"ru road No 172 in Irondequolt. Mon
= r. county, II is proposed to eNpehd over
'-'np "U 40 OF mile. The original
c. ~ tails road IN 1904 was $3.50.
MARKED Extravaganza shown.
"pr ROAD No 3 in Deerfeld. oneida
county 1t Is proposed to eNpend more
Than $4,000 on q stretch ~, miles
1ols, the original construction of which
COS less than $1,000 per mile.
'Ou road No 4S4 in Canadagua. On
Srio county, this bill proposes to eX-
pend about $4,000 on a stretch less
tf47 81. miles long, constructed in 1906
a. cost less than $1,000 per mile.
ON roads Nos 732 and 1888 in Lisbon
and Canton. 81. Lawrence county, this
oil proposes to expend 100000 or APP
Fortunately IL miles OF highway con-
s'-ucteI IN 1905 at a cost of less than
10000 per mile
"On road No. 81 in Ramapo, Rock
land county, this bill proposes TO ex-
pend more than $4,000 on less than I
miles OF Highway, the original construc-
t'r cost OF which was less than $3.50
PEI mill.
on road No soos in Clarkstown,
Rochland county. this bill proposes to
eNpend fll,3l0. The road Is / Il miles
!. length ana is certified by the state
h-F Way Department as being In good
condition. This road was constructed
. recer tly that the contract for its con-
fTu'ton does not appear in the latest
printed publication of the state High
way Department.
ne sum total Of all such instances
p'o.. ie1 FOR by this years highway APP
IIotratiou is in excess OF Sl,00o,000.
Ask. Million Cut In Bill.
The City Club wants tho highways
WIZ considered and cut at least
- 100000 hy amendment, Like the city
on ais M" club asks that neither
t''Nb"0p As originally proposed, nor
''.'n""n as now proposed, be appro-
"o .'r of curren revenues for canal
construction, but that a final bond issue
Tor The completion of the barge canal be
submitted 10 referendum this fall The
reuter- SAYS.
For the state TO add an unusual
burden to the burdens the city already
carries, under present conditions, would
produce the most acute situation. Every
million dollars which the State by direct
lax axes out Of the taxpayers OF New
an impairment OF our ability to conserve
our 'uducial resources. not only for city
PURPOSES, but for state purposes as well.
We mold no brief to protect any class
OF taxpayers from contributing to the
h1l Iort Of government. We frequently
ana Vigorously oppose manifestations OF
purely selfish or shortsighted policies
sometimes urged by taxpayers. But We
arc convinced that the ten and half
pom rise In the general property tax.
Sh'h would be entailed by the proposed
direct Stat. tow nj am nm will "a l9a