New-York tribune., 1920-09-29
Craig, Back ON
Job, Opens War
On 1921 Budget
Comptroller Indicates That
Lively Slashing of High
Estimates Will Occur i'm
the Board of Estimate
Finance Heads MeetToday
Mayor to Receive Aid i'm Cut.
ting Costs TO Bone; Citi-
zens Union Blames Hylan

Comptroller Charles L. Craig lost
no time upon returning from his vacx-
hon this week in training his batteries
against the pyrsmiding budget esti-
mates for 1921. He issued q call yes
terday for a meeting of the committee
on finance and budget Of the Board of
Estimate Cor this afternoon to consider
the 1921 budget, and sent the following
communication to tGe board for action
ss Fridays regular meeting:
Although all Of the departmental
estimates and requests for appropria-
hons TO be included in the 1921 budget
have not yet been received. it appears
from those that have been submitted
propriations for the year 1921 will
Be very large, and in the consideration
of the amounts that may be allowed
In the budget it will be important to
have definite information from the
Board Of Taxes and Assessments, with
respect to the assessed valuations of
real and personal property for the
year 1921 in order that due effect may
BE given to the constitutional and
statutory limitations upon the power
Of taxation.
~The printed tentative budget must
be prepared on or before the 10th of
October, which this year falls on Sum
day. II is important, therefore, that
the information in regard to the as
sessed valuations be obtained immedi-
ately.
II therefore recommend the adop-
Zion Of the annexed resolution re-
questing that such information be fur
1ished forthwith.
an sorder that as much time as pos
yible may be gained | have sent
copy Of this request to the Department
Of Taxes of Assessments at the same
time that it is forwarded to your Sec
xetary for the calendar
Resolution Requests Estimate
The resolution referred to by the
Comptroller requests from the Depart
ment of Taxes and Assessments the
closest approximation that may now be
made Of the assessed valuations of real
and personal property for the counties
within the City of New York for the
year 1921.
A lively time in budget slashing is
expected when the Comptroller and the
Finance and Budget Committee get
down to the real work of considering
the big increases requested by the vari-
ous departments. There is little doubt
that TIE Mayor for once will have the
full cooperation Of the Comptroller in
keeping down the budget estimates to
the bone, as the Mayor requested in a
recent letter TO the members of the
Board of Estimate.
Leonard VI. Wallstein, counsel to the
Citizens Union. issued what he said
would be the first of series of statar
ments on behalf of the union with
reference to the 1921 city budget Mr.
Wallstein largely blamed the Mayor for
the unprecedented increases asked b.
the departmental heads.
Mayor Hylan'i is himself responsible
FOR very large part of the wild
scramble for unlimited appropriations
which he denounced a few days ago"
said Mr.. Wallsrein. He then publicly
made a touching appeal to his col
leagues on the Board Of Estimate to
assist him in an effort TO put check
upon the demands for tremendous IN
ereases in the 1921 budget That ap-
peal was an attempt be lines to pass
the buck in relation to a budget that
threatens to reach staggering total
Salary Raises s15,0OO,OOO
"Only last month the salaries of
nearly all the city employees were in
creased from 20 to % per cent. The
higher salaries were increased by a
maximum of $500. The cost of that in
grease was more than s5.o0O,Ooo for the
Ssst four months of this year and will
be more than ST., 100000 for next year.
"l9 the Mayor sincerely desires to
stop the wild scramble for unlimited
he should begin immedi-
@te!y with his own departments. To
that end he should direct the heads
OF them, whom he appoints and can
remove, forthwith to withdraw all re-
quests for further general salary in
eyeases in the 1921 hudget."