New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-28
'CITY'S BUDGET
HEARINGS BEGUN
Appropriation for 1916
Will Reach $2l7,000,OO
Experts Figure.
.S17,000,000 MORE
THAN THIS YEAR
Real Estate Owners Association
Counsel to Protest Against
Sums He Deems Excessive.

The public hearings on the tentative
city budget, which began before the
Board of Estimate yesterday afternoon,
made little progress. Only part OF the
tentative allotment appeared in print In
time to be considered at the afternoon
hearing. and then only some OF the
minor city departments were discussed.
Consideration of the appropriations Of
the more important departments was
deferred until to-day and tomorrow,
and the Board of Estimate will deter
mine the final figures after the hear
ings.
Stewart Browne, president Of the
Real Estate Owners Associations, served
verbal notice on the members Of the
Board of Estimate that he would file
a complaint to-day in the Supreme
Court in an attempt to enjoin the board
from passing upon certain specific APP
preparations which he deemed excess
sive. Mr.. Browne filed two complaints
in the Supreme Court yesterday. In the
first he sought TO prevent the admin
istration from levying upon the city
its l3,975,000 share of the direct state
tax, on the ground that the whole tax
was unconstitutional, because 1t is not
needed.
In his second complaint Mr.. Browne
attempted 20 enjoin the Board of Elec-
tions from distributing and counting
the votes on the new constitution. Mr.
Browne was on hand to contest almost
all the small items taken up at the pub
lie hearing yesterday. On one or two
occasions he approved" of the tenta-
tive figures, but on one occasion only
did he urge an increase in the appro-
priation suggested. Tha. was relative
TO the care of the city's insane.
81 heartily agree with you on that
point" said Controller Prendergast,
and, looking squarely at Mr.. Browne, he
added: There are number OF persons
who need TO be taken care Of"
! While no official figures are yet OBJ
tainable and tentative figures may be
/ changed, estimates were made yester-
/ day that the total budget would be
/ about S2l7 100000, or Si7,00O,000 more
/ than this year. This wonld make the
/ tax rate average between S2.l2 and
s2.15.
The smallest reduction so far known
/ is in the Examining Board of Plumbers
Sand the largest reduction in the
Department of Docks and Ferries
! S424,966 The largest increase is in the
/ Police Department, which amounts 10
s357,s27 Some of the other reductions
and increases are as follows:
Mayors Office, reduction, 81 500; De-
partment of Finance. reduction, Sl4l,-
| 700; City Chamberlain, reduction,
/ $780, Law Department, reduction,
/ 3,945; Board of Elections, increase,
| s77,164 Municipal Civil Service Com
mission, increase, sl.933; Commission
/ ers of Accounts, reduction, S3l ,3lo;
MAYORS Bureau of Weights and Meas
ures. reduction, 1885; Department Of
/ Licenses. reduction, Ss,177; Board Of
Assessors, reduction, SO $50; Art Com
mission. reduction, sli5: President
[ Borough Of Bronx, reduction. S50,669;
/ President Borough OF Queens. reduc-
{ ton, s40,04s; Department of Parks,
/ Manhattan and Richmond, reduction,
| SlS3,Sl9; Department OF Parks, Bor-
| ough Bronx, reduction, S6,055; De-
I partment of Parks, Borough of Brook
! iyn, reduction, sl,0l5; Department Of
Parks, Borough of Queens, increase,
I 1920; Police Department, increase,
s357,S27: Fire Department, reduction,
Ss7,6l9; Armory Board, reduction,
s4,O6l; Department of Street Clean ing,
reduction, S57,773; payments TO char
table institutions, increase, si27,9OO;
Department OF Bridge. reduction,
s144.172, and Department Of Health,
reduction, sl33.531.
The total reductions from 1915 in
the Board of Estimates own budget is
sll4673. One bureau and five COM
mittees are abolished, saving s5S,53O.
These are the Bureau Of Sewer Plan,
s12.250; Committee on Social Welfare,
sl7,400; Committee on the Revision OF
the City Charter, $3.50; Committee on