New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-01
Advisory Council Will
Recommend Where Saw
ings May Be Made.
ACCEPTS INVITATION
OF ESTIMATE BOARD
To Sit with Sub Committee
Which VIII Consider Estimates
Now Being Submitted.
By ADVISORY COUNCIL OF REAL
ESTATE INTERESTS.

The preparation of the 1916 budget
by the Board of Estimate will be most
carefully followed by most of the tax
payers associations of the city.
In the light of the direct state tax.
which approXimates about Sli,500.000
for the city, as we'll as the new fiscal
policy of the city, which provides that
one-quarter of the cost of improve
ments for the current year will be in
cluded in the budget of 1915, it is we'll
nigh certain that the tax rate this year
will be higher than in previous years.
Fully 50 per cent of the city budget is
derived from taxation on real estate.
Although there has been a reduction
of assessment in certain sections of the
city, nevertheless il is generally recog-
nized that the assessed value of real
estate is higher than the actual selling
value. With an increased tax levy inn
posed upon assessed valuations higher
than actual market conditions would
Justify, the property owners are con-
fronted with municipal financial obliga-
tions which in many instances will
mean serious distress.
The Advisory Council Of Real Estate
Interests therefore purposes to
closely follow each item of the city
budget in an endeavor 10 recommend
economies which may be safely effected
by the city without impairing the eff
cheney of the several departments.
With this purpose in mind, representa-
tives from the council have accepted
the invitation of the city officials 10 sit
with the subcommittee of the Board
of Estimate which will consider the es-
Inmates now being submitted by the
heads of the various city departments.
As these estimates are presented TO the
b-committee of the Board of Esti-
mate, representatives Of the council
will have an opportunity TO analyze
them and to present their recommenda-
tions at that time.
Under Section 226 Of the Greater
New York Charter the Board of Esti-
mate is required 10 make a budget be-
tween October | and November /. In
order TO enable the board to make
such budget the heads Of the yari-
Gus boroughs and departments are re-
CURED, not later than September 10,
to file an estimate Of the amount of
expenditure of their respective de-
partments or boroughs for the coming
year. In the preparation Of these
statements, which are known as de-
partmental estimates, every possible
object of expenditure is defined and
is to be found in a manual known
as "Budgetary Classifcations"
The meetings Of the b-committee
TO which the Advisory Council has
been invited 10 send representative
are attended by Deputy Controller
Hervey, Robert W. Mcintyre, of the
Bureau Of Municipal Investigations
and Statistics; Chamberlain Bruere.
representing the Mayor: Leo Arm
stein. representing the President OF
the Board Of Aldermen; George Tir-
rell. Of the Bureau of Standards, and
Tilden Adamson, Of the Bureau OF
Contract Supervision.
After the departmental estimates
are forwarded. 20 this subcommittee
the items dealing with personal ser
vice are assigned 20 examiners in the
Bureau OF Examiners for investiga-
tiOn as 10 the necessity for the sum
requested, while those estimates deal
ing with other than personal service
are assigned 20 examiners in the Blu
ment Of Contract Supervision for like
inquiry These estimates are likewise
compared with appropriations for the
previous year by the Bureau Of Mu-
nicipal Investigations and Statistics.
Budget bulletins are then issued 10
the public giving major comparisons
between the two, so that all persons
interested may be informed as 10 the
sums requested for the ensuing year.
After the examiners have completed
their work each department is given
a hearing before the subcommittee,
at which il may present further rea-
sons as 10 the necessity for the al
lowances requested. while the respec-
tive examiners explain the reasons for
such reductions Tin the requests as
thew have recommended. A tentative
budget is then prepared and issued TO
the public and hearings are held. Al
these hearings taxpayers can present
their objections TO the budget
Last year at the hearings many sug-
Continued ON mage