New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-20
Advisory Council Plans TO
DO So in Interest of
Taxpayers.
OTHER BODIES ALSO
WILL BE AT MEETINGS
Controller PrendergaSt In
yites Them to Study
Expenditures.

,.,.res,s and similar organizations
-. received Invitations from Con
,.ou.r Prsndergast to attend the an
,.I hearing. on the budget for 1917.
,.o.dy this preparatory work has
-, taken Up by the Board of ESti'
1t. The charter provides that all
.,,,,.o, aud taxpayers shall have an
o,oor,unitJ to express their views Oh
-. proposed expenditures. This Coun-
.lNIl therefore make most careful
s,,d, Of The proposed estimates from
=. vauoos city departments, with the
,,rnos. Of suggesting reductions.
Fo- several years past Controller
pr.clergAs, has published series oil
tadoe, news bulletins. Within the next
g. ssys Bulletin No. Of the series
= ,Slf MIL be issued, wherein Will
T.. ..t forth clearly the methods pur-
"a In the preparation and adoption
81 the tax budget
For the information OF real estate
og,ers Controller Prendergast has
wri,.en the following, a brief resume
an the question Of budget preparation:
eli is customary for the head OF
,,,b eitv bureau or department 70 pre-
,.,s estimates for his requirements
~ the ensuing year. These depart.
-.,,,l estimates are examined and
s,sivlsd by the Bureau Of STANDARDS
'-,,b regard 10 personal service, by the
Err.sp Of Contract Supervision with
IND 10 matters other than personal
ssTvice and by the committee on edu-
,,,ion Of the Board of Estimate ana
UNEMPLOYMENT with regard TO educa-
,,or and Libraries These bureaus are
assisted by the Commissioner OF Ac,
counts and the Bureau OF Munlclpai
Investigation and statistics.
After the estimates are compileo'
dates are fixed and advertised IN the
'Ci,v Record for preliminary hear
mrs before the subcommittee on tax
budget. Of which Robert b. Mcintyre
is chairman, when taxpayers have
direct opportunity 20 question the de-
psrtmental ntads themselves. Protests
arc referred to the main committee on
TAX budget, which consists OF the Con-
trollcr (chairmaul. the President OF
the Board of Aldermen and the presl-
dents OF Brooklyn and The Bronx Dor
ouchs. VINO present tentative budget
for adoption by the full Board Of Esti-
mate and ApportiOnment. This tenta-
tive budget is printed for public dis
tribution in the latter part Of October,
and public hearings are held then by
the full board The budget as definitely
adopted must be transmitted to the
Board Of Aldermen not later than DC
tober 81. Items not made mandatory
BIZ state law may be reduced, but no
increases can be made. Action must
be taken in twenty Gays, but al!
changes arc subject TO the veto OF the
Mayor. which can be overridden by a
three-fourths vote. During the month
Of February following the budget Is
transmitted by the Controller to the
Board of Aldermen. All property, eN-
eept special franchises taxable Tor
local purposes, is assessed in the mean
time by the Department Of Taxes ana
Assessments, and on March i OF eacn
wear the assessment rolls of real ana
personal property for the calendar year
are presented to the Board OF Alder
men, as required by Section 9O1 OF the
Greater New York Charter. The Board
Of Aldermen determines the tax rates
and on or before March % delivers the
rolls 10 the receiver of taxes, as re-
CURED by Section Oil of the charter
directing the receiver TO collect the
taxes. They are now payable semi
annually, on May l and November j.
IN each year.
How Budget Is Financed.
"The budget is financed principally
BIZ means Of the taxation Of real estate,
real estate of corporations, speclal
franchises and personal property.
"The tax levy, bases upon the as
ssssed valuation and the tax rates as
liked. never amounts TO the total bud
get. This is due to the fact that GER
tain revenues collected by various city
apartments each year are credited 10
al account called the general fund OF
the city, for the reduction of taxation.
The chief items of this general fund
are: Interest on taxes and assess
ments. school moneys from the state
tax, surplus revenues OF the SINKING
fund for the redemption Of CITY Deot
No. J. and transfers OF uneXpenaou
balances in appropriation and SPECIAL
revenue bond fund accounts OF pre-
yious years From May II, 1916, and IN
subsequent years this fund Will also
receive motor vehicle fees, pursuant 70
Chapter 577, laws Of 1915, which pro-
yides that 80 per cent of the reglstra-
ton fees Of motor vehicles collected IN
the counties within the City OF Ne"
York shall be paid TO the Chamoer!aln
and become a credit 10 the general
fund Of the City Of New York. TINS
act became q law May II, 1916, and Will
doubtless increase the annual revenues
Of the general fund by many thou
sand dtllars. The amount Of the gen
eral fund for the reduction Of taxa
ton is estimated each year, mainly
upon the basis Of the previous year S
collections.
Attention is called TO the fact that
subsequent TO May II, 1916. the rev
enue from the special franchise tax WI il
be increased by approximately S2oO'VOo
each year This is due TO the adoption
Of Chapter 571, laws of 1916, An act
70 amend the tax law. in relation TO
eeeuction from special franchise tax
!or local purposes This act provides
IN part that car license fees or tolls
pAld for the privilege Of crossing
pndge owned by the city shall be de-
quoted from the franchise tax except
u city Of the first class.
"a portion Of the revenues OF the
eIy' principally excise taxes, is dl-
Nef'ed each year to the credit Of vari-
os' departmental pension funds. Some
OF these funds are also increased by
ssSlsry and wages accruals, fines, sale
o. property. etc.
during the next two months, the
eeuysory council will present to real
ss'se owners comparative statements
va he various departmental estimates
ana constructive recommendation in
e'eshtal thereto for their consideration