The sun., 1916-01-13
ADMITS FEWER CITY
WORKERS WOULD Do
Prendcrgast Considers StOm
Taken on Court House
Project a Mistake.
SEES HIGHER TAX RATE

Comptroller William \. rr.ra,,r,..
told the Brown legislative cruu.,e.
| yesterday that lie believes th..o .,
| department Of the city government N.,.
| could not perform its work with few
employees on its payroll He nlp.".
| that between 1899 and 1916. when g..
city's population was growing 20 t.
cent, the city budget increased apr.o,
| mately l04 per cent.
lie considered the steps taken towa-
! the development Of the new court Auus
| project series of mistakes II. "a.
| that n the proposition were to youe p,
now as an entirely new thing the c'
would not think OF mourning the cNpen,.
with which 1t is actually burdeu.i a.
| confessed that he is ut a loss to know
what the way out Will be.
| ~ voted against the requirement o
additional property last May. when 81,
| the other members of the Board Of Ia
innate favored IT," said the comp'rolls
Before that time everything that was
| done was done by unanimous action anc
| I was as much responsible "a any boa
| else But / was convinced Il WIS
mistake to make that additional pIr
| chase"
Couldn't the board have left stsrdts
| all the buildings on tho site ana con.
| tinued to draw rental from them. ast.t
Sheriff A. +. Smith.
yes" said the Comptroler 'rh.
| demolition OF the buildings should 20,
| have been started when Il was That
was another mistake"
When the city is so near Its debt I'm,
| do you think it ought 20 engage IN
proposition OF that sort asked senate.
| Brown.
"As new proposition, no" sa'l "
| Prentergast. But the court house board
was organized In 1908 under an act n
the Legislature and almost entirely a.
| n result of the pressure of puhlic oli5.
! ion. Fo- some time have thought We
| should not so to the expense OF erecting
the building. but ! am not uDminlfl
| of the loss We would suffer II We aban.
| doned the project now. II is tho most
! troublesome question before Us and !
have not definitely made NJ my mind
how | shall act"
The Comptroller was the only U!tra-
OF tho day and much of the time wa
! devoted to a description of the various
/ sorts OF evidences OF debt issued ly tie
| city and an analysis OF the methods -
/
sized the demand for home rule varf
the Mayor had made when on the stand
! with means to consolidate cei'a., n,' -
ard reorganize others, he said, the '''
/ could effect greater economics.
The Comptroller predicted tot o..
! tax rate would continue 10 rise, h' 8
that by 1919 the budget might r'a
s23t. .o0n 900. lie was not enthus'ls''
over senator Browns plan Tor a r".'r
enium 20 decide what measure uf IH"1
control tie city wanted.
Il believe I, would he uune,".>,.'.
said the Comptroller ~ think tr
officials should seek the aid 80 tine
members Of the LEGISLATURE, ard 70
wont act with ". then We mis. 't
. tie referendum
sheriff smith interrupted ~ sav OBJ.
/ in many respects second class ,'.r
the state are tier treated than So.
York city. Their charters permit
/ virtual control of their own Cover "'.
{ in detail. while even tho act u' See
| York city policemen j. pres ri'-'l
III New York wants to hc d' .I-n.
second class city, the Leg lsla'u'p 49,.
/ It," said senator Brown 81 '"r.
sheriff won't use his iri'uou -
| a further breach between tu" 'I'.
the state am here 20 Try To hr
! two to. ether
And I'm here TO help yru.' ro~I.
the cx-Assemhymau. ~ You &C.,. d.
over tie city charter with me.
out some of the many sore spn'r
Comptroller rrendercast ". '...
his testimony at - o'clock Ills o. ' 'r
/ senator Brown said that a. t." '
to-daN's session the committee v.' De
ably SUSPEND It's Investigation fo~ 7eE
or ten days