The sun., 1916-12-04
BUDGET ROW NETS
3 NEW STATEMENTS
Comptroller Prendergast As
sails Aldermanic Commit
tee for Changes.
HITS ECONOMY
Bureau Of City Inquiry and
Public Service. Institute
Cite Savings. =

The clash between the Board Of Esti-
mate and the nance, committee Of the
Board Of Aldermen. with respect to the
c..?'s budget for 1917. il emphasized in
a series Of statements Issued last night
by Comptroller Prendergast. the Bureau
Of City Inquiry and the Institute for
Public Service.
Mr.. Prendergast. as chairman OF the
tax budget committee Of the Estimate
Board. takes the Aidermanic committee
to task for changes in the budget as
passed. while the Bureau Of City Inquiry
critlcises severely the estimates Of the
Estimate Board. Meanwhile the Insti-
tute for Public Service has written to the
Aldermen urging yet further reductions
when they receive the committees repor,
at = meeting at 1 o'clock this afternoon.
In the introduction TO his statement
the Comptroller says:
After considering Tor nearly three
weeks q budget amounting to S2il.ll5,-
0l6.s2. the best the Finance Committee
of the Board OF Aldermen can do is to
recommend q reduction Of $120.52 The
impression seems to exist that this re-
duc.ion has been brought about princi-
pally through the cutting out Of Increases
in salaries by the Board Of Estimate.
Such IN impression Is distinctly false
Analyses Tammany Economy.
Proceeding to a detailed analysis OF
Aldermanic economy Of the Tammany
brand" Mr.. Prendergast says:
THE total Of the Increases In salaries
d,sapproved by the committee mounts
to $34.30O. TIL differences between that
amount and the reduction suggested
OI20.620) consists Of the elimination OF
new positions O36.670) and reductions
in existing force N4s.650). II the whole
amount Of Sfe0.520 was taken vi of
mex years budget It would not make
the slightest difference I'm the tax rate.
The law requires that the rate shall
be figured in cents and hundredths of a
cent upon each dollar OF assessed valua-
tior.. II the same basis OF realty valua.
ton has to be used next year the city
rate will be absolutely the same--Sl.9 5,
II this whole amount OF sl20.520 were
saved 1t would apply as a reduction upon
the amount to be included for deficiencies
in taxes some two years from now. bu,
Of itself would be too small to AFFECT the
tax rate Of n subsequent year"
The Comptroller call attention to the
committee reduction ~ a stable fore
mans wage from $500 to $3.50. He
was informed that the foreman 'is not
on good terms with a Tammany Alder
an" The reduction of the Tenement
House Commissioners salary from
32.160 to $4,000 Is contrasted with the
Increase in the salary Of IN examiner
in the ONCE Of the President Of the
Board OF Aldermen fr IN $4,000 "a
$500. The salary OF Fire Marshal
Brophy Of Brooklyn. raised In the new
budget to $4,000. 10 placed at $500
but The chief inspector OF police Il per
mitted to get an Increase OF $1,000"
In the report OF its analysis Of tho
Board Of Estimates budget. the Bureau
of City Inquiry. Of which william Bull.
lock Is director. calls attention TO these
items:
Budget increases per capita cost o'
city government from S3<.s0 TO s37 sal
AIRY total carried over 500, 000, 900 FOL
the first time salary cost increased 81.
232 .Os3. 90 over this year and IS, 9ss.
499. 65 since 1913: while salaries cos
millions more. productive returns to tar
payers show millions in decreases: ~
clerks added In Health Department. ~
In Public Charities.
Drop LabOrers and Mechanics.
New clerks and executives add mill
ion to overhead cost n laborers an
mechanics a been dropped Sass.
1912 that might have been availabl,
for Broadway repaving over new sub
way spent on salary increases Mayor
departments increased 373s,397.sS owe
1915 debt service increased $1,000. 90
this year. and, finally. &l2, 600. 900 b!
city officials blunder on subway con
tracts; debt service increased s3ss,s+7.3
by Interest on double court house sites
tax rate for city expenses increased 4
points; under present administration Ia!
rate for city expenses increased from 8
TO 81 points In Ave borougha
The Institute for Public Service. VIII
lam II. Allen. director, in It's letter I
the Aldermen. suggests further reduc
lions as follows:
"Six hundred thousand dollars coul
easily he saved by. subtracting only !
per cent from the large amounts appro
priated to private charitable institutions
Two hundred thousand dollars b
saved in the Charities Department
alone and still provide for better worl
zone hundred thousand dollars ca
easily be saved in the Department q
Correction. which Is 10 have $4,000
worth Of employees more for next yea