The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-16
HOME RULE IN CITY
MAYORS PANACEA
TO REDUCE TAXES
Tells Brown Committee Man
datory Salaries by state
Foster Extravaganza.
FILES ITEMIZED LIST
or FORCED EXPENSES

the grant in constitutional provision. The
very ieas, relief that the city should
get il the enactment Of legislation similar
to the two Cromwell bills introduced at
the last session and urged for passage
by the city administration without sue
cess
The foregoing paragraph wos the con-
Guiding one In a statement which Mayor
Mitchell submitted to the Brown COM
ml,tee at the close of yesterdays ses-
sion in the Board of Estimates room in
the City Hall. The day had been rspletc
with interesting Incidents.
When Miss Grace Strachan. a district
superintendent of schools and president
OF the marlborough Association of
Women Teachers, was Oh the stand de-
Tending the equal pay law she had en-
gaged in a brief interchange OF pleas
antries with Comptroller Prendergast.
When he appeared later the Mayor re-
ferred TO Miss Strachan's presence by
saying:
Il understand that q representative
Of the teachers took some time this
morning to demonstrate to you how pol
itics has been kept out OF the schools"
President Churchill. concluding his tes-
timony early In the day. advocated
changes In school administration which
differed widely from the recommenda-
tons the Mayor made in the afternoon.
Mr.. Mitchell took occasion to make 1t
clear that his recent controversy with
Mr. Churchill had not shaken his conf
dence in the latter's usefulness as a
board member.
Wants choOls Independent.
Mr.. Churchill had made these recon-
0endations
Functional home rule Tor the edu-
cation board.
Financial independence from politi-
Utter separation from the municipal
government.
. Authority to levy the school tax.
The Board Of Estimates recommended
ttons as summarized by the Mayor were
Complete financial control by the
Board OF Estimate.
Limitation of the Board of Educa-
tons membership TO a smaller num-
Der.
With = reduced membership, the
Mayor believed, there would be better
cooperation between the two bodies.
Mr.. Mitchell read figures covering the
years between 1906 and 1916 show
ing that the reductions made by
the Board Of Estimate from the educa-
ton boards budget ranged from SO
10 10 per cent. He defended his APP
polntments to membership In the board
and denied the suggestion that Mayors
don't get down 10 the people In making
such selections
II consider the question whether the
educational system should be under
home rule debatable." said the Mayor.
II the state Is to control the schools 7
submit that II should pay for them. II
the city is to bear the burden imam
cial control should be In the hands Of
the city authorities"
Again discussing mandatory proVl-
sions imposed by the State. the Ma
said that II the Board of Estimate had
power to fix the number OF employees
and the salaries he was confident there
would he a material saving in the Board
OF Elections without an impairment of
the body's usefulness. OF the citv's
1915 expenditures. he said, $500 900 rep
resented the discharge OF functions OF
the Public Service Commission. These
were State functions. the Mayor said,
n should be borne by the State.
Pension Funds bankrupt.
Mr.. Mitchell believed that instead OF
three Water Supply Commissioners
with a salary of $4,000 each. there
should be only one. He asserted that
every pension fund OF the city is bank
rupt or is about to become so, due to
the unscientific basis on which they
were esta blished. The City's direct con-
trSution to these funds in 1914 was
h.664,674. but this amount by no means
represented the indirect cost to tax.
payers.
The Mayor said he believed that
S3t5,b94 in dog licenses which was paid
to the Society for the Prevention OF
Cruelty to Animals' between 1910 and
1914 should have gone to the clty's
general fund and that 1t would be vel
for the city 10 receive a larger share
Of Sheriff's fees and excise taxes.
At this point the proceedings were
enlivened by r. good natured tilt he,
tween Chairman Brown OF Waterfowl
and senator Robert +. Wagner OF
Manhattan. Republican M Democratic
leader respectively. OF the Senate,
I'VE are here to correct the wrongs
done to New York city. most of then
by Representatives from New York city. :
said Mr.. Brown.
III the CltIZenS or tnlS CITY nad known,
Mr.. Wagner objected. that of the 500.
600. 900 voted for good roads they would
receive no benefit while they contributed
$4,000, 900. they would have voted differ,
entity"
IT am not responsible for what thi
citizens OF this city OF its representative
don't know" said Senator Brown.
"How about the bridges built uv
State" asked As~seniblyman Alfred +
Smith.
Most of the bridges VIC have built ar,
across the canal this city wanted" re
piled the chairman.
The primary object OF the equal pay
bill for teachers was to remove sex dis
elimination. Miss Strachan said. Boil
Mr., Mitchell and Mr.. Prendergast had in
dorsed the principle and she believed a
the time they acted in good faith. Sh,
said the maximum salary for teacher
had been fixed at SEQ, while the Burea,
Of Standards fixed that for laborets a
$500.
o the basis of a family Of FIVE" sait
Mr.. Prendergast.
"lf wages are based on the number 4
be supported persisted Miss Strachan
1T should be ascertaincd how many chill
dren there are-th-oe. four or I'VE"
"or none" suggested Senator Brown
Yes. like Mayor Mitchell r~esponde,
Miss Strachan.
President McAneny and ComptroIle
SyendergaSt will testify to-day. Tn
opening session will be at II o'clock.
Mayors PrOtest Summarized.