The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-07
MAYORS AIDS SAY
TAX FOES DISTORT
Wallstein and Brucre Riddle
Figures Of County Officials
Subcommittee.
SAY FACTS WERE IGNORED

Leonard NJ. wallstein. Commissioner
OF Accounts. and Henry Rr-iere. city
Chamberlain. sent TO Mayor Mitchell yes
terday an answer TO the assertions OF the
subcommittee Of county officials con-
tained in . pamphlet entitled The Truth
About the City's Debt" The pamphlet
was issued IN opposition to the lcglsla-
ton proposed BY the Mayor In the In
terest Of economy and which would wipe
out many county offices and make others
dependent upon the Board Of Estimate
for the salaries attached TO them.
II IL asserted In the report 20 Mayor
Mitchell that II any use was made by the
writer's Of the pamphlet OF the records
in the office Of the Commissioned Of Ac-
counts the figures were nagrantly dis
torted.
The main contention OF tho pam
phiet." says the report. 81 that the Of
fees OF the Commissioners OF Records
In New York and Kings courties, all The
County Clerks. The Registers IN three
counties, the Commissioners of Jurors IN
lOlT tbllNlts anu AH' Nlit Nv W i've
counties are run 81 "A profit for the city
OF New York and that they earned dur
ing 1915 a surplus amounting TO $500
1o43S.
Not only the Offices mentioned. but
all county offices are and have for some
years been run at "A loss. The offices
enumerated are conducted at an expense
Of 81 .92J.47o63. onset nv fees collected
IN 1915 Of only SsSl.153.7S. showing a
deficit Of sl.2s3,7l69c
Eight county Offices enumerated pro-
| luce 10 revenue. The committees own
| figures show no receipts from Commits
sioners Of Jurors nor from Commissions
, ers Of Records. The fees collected IN
1915 by the public administrators,
County Clerks. Registers and SherlNs
fall far short OF the appropriations for
those offices IN 1915.
The subterfuse used 20 PORTRAY /.
'fattering profit where only a distress
ing deficit exists Is palpable. II the
mortgage recording tax, which Ia three
counties is collected through the Regis
ter's Office and iO two through H."
county Clerk office. we've a fee earned
by these offices, then the Comptroller
might claim that his office earned the
entire proceeds Of the genexal property
TAX. amounting To Sli2,99i.l 9l..a IN
1914. or the Chamberlain might claim
that all the moneys which he collects
are 90 be accounted earnings.
"The statement Is also grossly mac
curatc in it, comparisons Of budget APP
preparations.
The statement tha, Tho increase Of
annua interest charge IN siv years has
been Sl?.a?0, 1919 Is absolutely wrong.
The 1916 appropriation for interest cn
tho city debt amounts 20 si.,02u.93i>i
The 1910 appropriation was s52.l;>,-
,s0.+a. 50 that the increase ~ s'V years
has been sS.>i".l;i31.
The committee submits that there
has been an increase ~ N. bonded debt
~ the city in >lx Years OF $500. 600 "h".
The actual Increase has been 1925 .U0o.-
400. The pamphlet neglerts - state ths.
during the period % this growth the
city has brought 10 approximate CONF
ple'ion a tremendous water supply sys-
TEN. has engaged upon rapid traisi, de-
telopineiIt to an unparalleled degree ard
has undertaken tn. problem ~ extend
ing dock facilities of the debt $@21,-
0o0. 600 has been Incurred for these pur-
poses IN addition. i.V schools. new
hospitals and new public buildings. Of
which the Municipal Hulldrue - tho
most ~importir', have been Constructed