The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-22
PAY AS YOU GO TAX
BEST FOR THE CITY
Mitchell Policy to BE Endorsed
by the Brown Legislative
Committee.
A TALK BY MCGUIRE

The Brown legislative committee.
which has been investigating city
finances, wnl include In It's preliminary
report TO the Legislature. It Ia under
stood. . recommendation that the opera
ton Of the pay as you 20 policy exer-
oised BY the Mitchell administration be
made mandatory upon all city govern
ments Of the future. This will be In
addition TO the recommendations for the
Advancement OF tax collection days from
May I and November 1 Of each year to
January and July 1. respectively. and
for the calling Of a referendum to de-
ermin whether or not the city should
control the county offices.
The committee adjourned at noon yes
terday to meet again At the call OF the
chairman, Senator Elon II. Brown ut
Watertown. Senator Brown said there
would be no more open sessions for
several weeks at least. 1t will prepare
It's preliminary report at once and take
UP the organization Of city pension funds
and other subjects later.
In q long statement which he read
before the committee yesterday morning
Laurence NJ. d. MCCLURE. president OF
thu Real Estate Board OF New York.
recommended tho abandonment Of the
UfOJ6U IOr y new court nOuSe, uTGcu
legislative control over tho city's imam
cial affairs and suggested a reorganiza-
tion of the municipal government by
the abolishment OF many boards and the
consolidation OF several offices.
Talk Of Alterations.
Il am unable TO say what would be
IN best method Of treating the iand
purchased for the court house" said Mr..
Mcguire. but ] certainly believe that
the project hou be abandoned. For
an expenditure not in excess Of $780,
600 the present court house can be re-
modelled and enlarged and as so altered
will caro- for all the court requirements
for at least twenty years.
IT believe IL would be desirable to
resubmit this question to the Justices of
the Supreme Court. But first and fore
most one Of the most Immediately neces-
sary legislative reliefs is the abolition
Of the Court House Board and the
transfer of all its powers and functions
to the Board Of Estimate
Mr.. MoSulre recommended the aboli-
ton OF all statutory boards having
power to spend city money, independent
Of local authority. except the Public
Service Commission. Among the bodies
which he listed for extinction are the
Water Board, the Bronx Park Commis-
sion, the Board of Inebriety and the
Port and Terminal Commission. He IA
vored the adjustment Of the Commis-
~sionership Of Accounts and the bureau Of
municipal INVESTIGATION In the Comp
~troller's office. a single bureau OF investi-
CATION to take the place OF the two. tn.
Department Of Correction. the depart
ments Of Licenses and Weights and
Measures. with transfer OF their duties
TO bureaus under control Of the Sinking
Fund Commission. and the Bridge Ie-
partment with the ransfer of main
tenance of bridge highways to the Dor.
ough highway departments
He would give tho Board OF Esti-
mate and the Board Of Aldermen power
to regulate all salaries and disburse-
msmts of all city and county officials.
except elected officials and would vest
than with control Of the expenditures
Of the latter. lie also advocated an
entire revision OF the cityis financial
system.
New Method Upheld.
Il believe a wrong method is used In
making up the budget" said Mr.. Me-
CURE. The Board nf m should
determine how much the legitimate rev
enue. with a reasonable tax. would per-
nit the city TO spend. Then IL should
apportion this amount among the sew
eral departments and hold the Com
missioners and the Borough Presidents
responsible.
The Bureau OF Fire Prevention
should be abolished he continued. The
Fire Department should be restricted
10 It's legitimate work the eNtinEushing
. ~ fires. Notwithstanding the enormous
sums spent for fire prevention fire in
surance rates are not greatly reduced.
William douglas Fitzpatrick, an expert
builder. that to carry out tho
orders issued by the Fire Prevention Bu-
resu would cost 5000, 600. 900.
"The Board OF Health should be in
charge OF n business man. Its so-called
uplift work should he transferred 10 the
Department OF Chari,ie,. There is no
need for a department Of correction. The
cl,y's correctional establishments can
best be handled by the heads OF the
Health, Charities and Police departments.
'The First Deputy Comptroller should
he made city Treasurer, and the Bor-
ough Presidents should select one Of
their number TO sit on the Sinking
Fund Commission in place OF the Cham
berlain. The Real Estate Board recom-
mends that the construction Of rapid
transit lines be placed IN charge Of the
Board of Estimate and that tn" Public
Servic. Commission exercise only SUI
pervisory and regulatory control over
publlr utility companies. There should
he only one Public Service Commission
for the entire State and its expense
should he a State charge"