The sun., 1916-01-12
MAYOR SEES HIGHER
TAX RATE FOR CITY
Puts Blame on state Levy in
Annual Message to Board
Of Aldermen.
ECONOMIES POINTED OFT

Mayor Mitchell sent to the Board of
Aldermen yesterday his annual message.
In reviewing the accom- plishments OF his
administration during the last two years
.he Mayor devotes himself entirely To
financial matters. emphasizing the strug-
gle tha. has been made to keep down
appropriations in tho face OF con-
start.y widening field ~ municipal
undertaking A. for the future. he sees
little hope OF further retrcnchment uu-
less the city obtains n larger measure
OF home rule.
He points out that expenditure for
certain departments, such as education
health. charities and police. must neces-
sarily increase as the city grows and
tina. even the primary financial policy
OF hts adm mist ration--the psy rs you
60 po,icy--means added burdens for the
time being The Mayor takes 1t for
granted that the ever increasing sosdal
service activities Of the city govern
ment are being undertaken be cause Of
the public demand for them.
His administration. according to the
Mayor. WAS confronted by - serious
two years ago. Budget appropriations
had increased from s2s 90 per capita
in 1906 to $685. per capita In 1919. and
the per capita funded debt hdd risen
from Sl4s..O TO Sls6.66 during the same
period
In fourteen wears tho budget had
grown from s93.i0o.0O to nearly sl.3.-
U0o 900. and tho gross funded debt had
grown from $3.50. 400 To- more than
1 attn. a -
! from Sei7.O0o.oo To- 1886. 600.
Mayor Mitchell then proceeds 'H his
| message 90 show how this situation was
met An attempt WAS made 10 keep the
! budget down to that OF l9lt when the
| Increase over thai OF 1918 was S"si
| llo.46 In tho thirty departments under
| the Mayors control allowances were
: decreased 10y q million and haf
Similar decreases were made IN the ap-
| prupr!a,iorS To- The BorrVsb Presidents
| ard the Department OF Finance the re-
suit. - reelected In the budget for 1915
| hcing "a most gratifying achievement
| The 1915 appropriati To these de
par ments uer" less than those OF 1914
| by 81 per cent
Nevertheless the aggregat" ~ the lFl Z
, hudg.' eedsd that of l3l& by 50.
| ?gt,23ts". due, says the Mayor 10
| causes beyond the control Of the ad
1
TO the Department Of Education. in tn.
appropriation for deb; service. in tn,
| amount NJ special revcnu" bonds, th'
| Mayor says that had not the most r!g
| economy been cNr-"iscd with respect :,
! 'a. expenditures over wh.rh thu Adm.u
's'r.'iog had complete control tho bud
ga, for 1918 would hay. exceeded tn,
leli budget Ny sii.ooo0" or $4,000,
O00 instead Of only $4,000. .oo0"
I fgr rvfh Gs,.,
the pr"para Son of 'Ne budget FOR 1915
TIE result OF the detailed examination
- all items was that tho tprropr.it ION
fnr IA" Mayors departments were ''I
| los nearly e. oun huu. decreases O: stou.
O0J Mere mad" ia appropriations Cor tn
| Department rf Finance, to the Bpruucl
| President the B"ard - Educttton go
no increase. although $500. oro MAS re-
uu-Sted, ana SINAI, Increases We're al
lowed elsewhere \ decrease iU the az
propria''on for defcier,leS In taxes W.
moro than Offset however. ny an ~
crease Of ToIe than :" "ou oou 'pr dol
service. THIS. the Mayor says, Was a.
TO the pay a. you 20 policy.
lie then cues on tn say that althoug
the total OF the budget to- 1916 FOR cit
and county purposes s. less than II
total for 1915. the total which tn" tax
payers must meet is materially hlghs
because OF the dir,c, state tan. ~ WHO
IN. city's share is si3.975.Oel.7 add.r
that n. city admin Stra'!uu cannot i
any way he held accountable FOR Nj
increase
The Mayor says that an even NOR
striking examp.e of economy Is afford"
, by the record OF corporate stock author
cations In 1914 the total authoriz
tons were sl4,59t.67o4S. and IN lsl
. the total was si2.3l-,SS7s7. as con
, pared with an average during the VI,
. Cl-llan administration % sl0".AlT.1li i
, and ss7.H5l a.S ~ during the Gaync
| q oJp,i,,, ,,str.,ipp