The sun., 1919-09-17
CITY WORKERS
PAY TO BE MORE
IN NEAR FUTURE
Mayor and Board Of Esti-
mate Are Working Out
a New Schedule.
DEPENDS ON REVENUES
Police and Firemen Present
Arguments Based on In
creased Living Cost.
DEPENDS ON REVENUES

an increase in salary in the 1920 bud
get. This was decided at an executive
meeting of the Board of Estimate
which lasted most OF the day yester-
day.
Just how large these increases will
be and to what extent salaries Of
other city employees win be raised
cannot be settled until 1t is determined
just what the city's revenue will be
from taxes next year. The Tax De-
partment has been ordered to compute
these figures. based on the new assess
ments. at once and they will be ready
in about a week. In O general way
Il is known that there have been many
Increases on real estate, but there
have also been decreases here and
there, and what the net gain will be
cannot be told until the figures are
all in.
When the board has these figures in
hand it will determine on a general
policy Of salary increases for low paid
city employees.
The patrolmen, through the Patrol
mems Benevolent Association. and the
firemen, through the Uniformed Fire
mems Association. filed their formal re-
quests for salary increases with the
secretary of the Board of Estimate dur
ing the day.
The patrolmen ask $4,000 a year for
first grade men. $500 for men in their
second year Of service and $1,000 a year
for men in their first year of service
The flremen are divided into four
grades. They ask $4,000 for first grade
men. $500 for second grade men and
$1,000 for third and fourth grade men.
A delegation of policemen waited on
the Mayor at the City Hall on behalf
Of their request for increased pay. The
inspectors were represented by Inspector
Dominick Henry. the lleutenants by
Lieut. Ayres, the surgeons by DR.. Muir
ray, the sergeants by Sergeant Courtney
and the patrolmen by Patrolman Joseph
p. Moran.
The Mayor told his visitors that he
had already decided in his mind that
the patrolmen were entitled to a raise Of
$50, but he had reached no decision in
regard to the higher grades. the Board
of Estimate would consider the master
most carefully and do what they con-
stdered fair both to the men in the
higher grades and to the taxpayers.
Mayor Makes Statement.
After the meeting of the board was
ended yesterday afternoon Mayor Hy-
Ian. complying with his promise to
make a statement in regard to what
had been done. issued this:
The Board of Estimate to-day began
the consideration of salary wage in
creases 70 city employees. Conferences
will be held from time to time until the
subject Is disposed Of"
The Patrolmen's Benevolent Associa-
ton in their petition said: 90
In placing this petition before you
the patrolmen are mindful that in ap-
proving the same 1t will be necessary
TO increase the budget of the city, but
they feel that the people are entirely
willing to give them pay sufficient to
properly maintain themselves and their
families under the changed conditions
brought about by the war.
The loyalty of the patrolmen to
their city Is today the same as 1t was
Throughout the war, namely one-hundred
per cent, and the patrolmen have rea-
son TO feel that in view of the facts
stated the Board of Estimate will not
hesitate to grant this petition"
The following schedule of facts were
presented to sustain the petition:
THAT prices of food, clothing, ETC.
according to the Federal Government
have advanced IS per cent since 1914
2-That according to the same
authority, the wages of skilled and I'M
skilled labor have advanced SO per cent.
3-That patrolmen are unable to COM
pete with the rising cost Of living and
rents In that they are prohibited by
rule from engaging In any other occupa-
ton. and also are compelled by rule to-
live within the city limits.
4EThat patrolmen average, accord
: ing to official reports. more than ten
NJ a
6-That mandatory expenses, such as
for uniforms. etc. greatly reduce the
net income.
6-That the financial conditions under
which patrolmen work, the long and
Irregular hours of duty and the risk TO
life and limb has made the police lob
less and less attractive to qualified
young men.
THAT a canvass of citizens. mer
chants, taxpayers, civic organizations
and the press of the city has revealed
q general public approval of a $4,000
salary for patrolmen.
The arguments of the firemen was
somewhat longer. It expressed the be-
lief that the people Of the city did not
wish to penalize any of its citizens for
entering municipal employment
THE fremen believe" II went on.
that the people desire the employees
OF the CIT yJo exlst as human beings
should exist, to contribute their fun
share to- the prosperity and progress
Of the city, to be among the home build
ers and home makers, to have and GEAR
a family, TO give an education to their
children.
Service LeAs Attractive.
Attention is called to the fact that OF
az Federal, State and city services the
nremen are the only employees excluded
fro mthe benefits of an eight hour day.
That there has been a steady decrease
In the number of qualifed young men
who are willing TO do IRE duty should
this be FOOD for serious reflection. Il IA
stated. The present pay and long hours
have combined to make the service less
attractive than it used to be. The peti-
ton continues:
The city has met this condition by.
steadily lowering the standard OF
physical examination. Any real COM
petition In the, mental examination has
been eliminated by its simplicity. No
longer are young men attracted To the
service from the various trades The
cause is well known. The young men
realize that the union scale of wages
Is higher than tho pay of the Fire De
partment without the expenses for uni
FORMS, the long hours OF duty and the
risks or the fire service"
In comparison 10 the number of ifyes
protected, 1t Is pointed out, most cities
have forces from one to two and a
half times larger than that of New
York. Mention Ia made NJ the c.st,s,o1