New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-07

Service Commission in the city. This
should be done az once, the commit
tee SAYS As the law now stands, the
Board OF Estimate has no control Of
the expenditures o. the commission.
The city pays the bill.
Objection has been made by the city.
the report says, that normal schools IN
the city are maintained al city expense,
while outside the city they are man.
tanned al the expense Of the state. III
the city desires the state 10 take over
its normal college or other educational
institutions doing work within the
citv" the report saws, "the request
should be granted The committee VIII
give special hearing at Albany on this
subject.
The report discusses the debt limit
Of the city. the sinking funds. the pay
as-vou-go policy. diversions Of revenue,
mandatory legislation and divided re
sporsibilitv. Commenting on the deDt
limit. the report says that on the basis
a. tho citv's present municipal actlvl-
les there is no prospect Of reduction
in taxes. Figures Of Controller Prem
dcreast are quoted showing that tho
budget OF 1916 will be S2l0.OOO,OO0 ana
that i'm 1919 it viii reach S23o ,OOO,OOO.
This critical condition. the report
SAYS. may be partially and Temporarily
relieved by an improved real estate
market. by new sources OF revenue, OF
the absence Of a direct state tax, put
there is no promise Of permanent or re-
liable relief unless methods are
changed; otherwise the crisis VIII con coz
tinue under more aggravated condl-
tons
Sinking Fund Methods Criticised
The present method Of sinking funds
in the citv did not prove popular with
Senator Brown and his Investigators
In This respect the report says:
There is no security for the bonds
in the hands Of the public except the
dcbt-paving capacity Of the city. SO lar
as consistent with the terms under
which existing bonds we're issued TINS
system should be changed and sinking
funds for future issues abolished. Inc
maintenance Of the sinking fund IN
wolves many transactions which cannot
he carried on without considerable OK
pcnse. They are misleading because
they involve the idea Of security. II all
Of them could be abolished It would be
without the loss of any security 10
bondholders and simplify the statement
of the city's finances.
$50 far as practicable. future issues
of bonds should be made upon the
serial bond plan, and the fullest oppor-
tuuity for popular subscriptions con-
sistent with the public interest afford
cd. II existing laws are inadequate TO
effect these changes the committee Will,
i'm consultation with the financial au-
thorities Of the city, frame amendments
for the purpose"
The committee sage that mandatory
legislation is not only tolerabie, but
INDISPENSABLE. II says, however, that
the course Of legislation during the
rresent session Will have an important
and possibly controlling influence on
/ the final settlement Of that issue.
"With the different opinions upon
This issue" says the report, held oy
the administration upon the one hand
and the majority Of the local repre-
sentatives Of the city in the Legislature
uDon the other. the state is unable 70
determine which represents the popular
demand. The committee, therefore,
proposes that the question be decided
/ bv a referendum in the city. The re-
/ suit of this referendum viii Indicate
whether the city desires to fix the
/ salaries Of its public servants or IN
sists upon the performance Of that
/ dutv bv the state. If adopted. II VIII
operate 20 repeal all statutes fixing
the compensation of city officers and to
firmly establish the principle of local
control. If defeated, II will silence
controversy as 20 existing statutory
salaries and warn the state that II must
| institute a system by special commit
tees in the Legislature, by mission
or otherwise, for the discharge Of a re-
sponsibility hitherto but indlferently
| performed"
The committee refers TO such manda-
tory legislation as the creation Of the