New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
One-Man Rule
In Cities Urged
To Cut Expense
Davenport Committee Rec
ommends a Centralized
Government i'm Its Report
to the State Legislature
Present Plan Wasteful
Inefficiency and Expansion
of Departments Blamed
for Increased Costs

The special Joint Committee on Tax
alton and Retrenchment, of which Sen
ator Frederick M. Davenport is chair
man, in its report to the Legislature
issued yesterday, sets forth reasons
which 1t believes lie at the bottom OF
the increase Of cost Of city government
as we'll as recommendations for re-
trenchment.
After a survey that has extended to
all quarter. of tho state, the commit
tee reports that the increase in the
cost Of city government is due to in
crease in appropriations for education,
extension Of government into new
fields of activity, extended city i'm
provements, expansion Of city depart
ments, new price levels, poorly func-
tioning governmental organizations and
waste and ineficiencv.
In most of the cities of the state, the
report says, the present type of city
vernment is not adapted to produce
efficiency and economy. In this regard
the committee cites three definite con-
illusions it has reached:
!. The most effective and economical
plan of city government is one In which
all executive functions are centralized
under single executive directly re-
sponsible to the electors.
2. The maximum amount of latitude
should be allowed local authorities in
prescribing departmental and internal
organizations Of city government.
3. Any system of unpaid part time
service tends to be- uneconomical and
off oil q
rule, be paid service.
1t urges the Legislature to adont
definite policy in respect to citv char
ter proposals as follows:
/. The Legislature should discourage
the proposal of any charter LEGISLATION
tending to decentralize materially the
governmental organization of anv
municipality.
2. Charter proposals for unpaid or
nominally paid administrative officials
should be discouraged.
8. No charter should be granted bv
the Legislature which prescribes the
appointment and fixes the salary of adj
ministrative officials or prescribes in
government to administrative denart-
ments.
School System @Wasteful"
The present system of senaratinr
power and responsibility in the schools
is termed Inherently wasteful" in tho
report, and it is urged that a committee
be appointed to consider the problem
of the relation Of school administration
to city administration and to work ont
an organization that will make the
schools democratic. efficient and
economic"
In conclusion, the report makes the
following general recommendations:
Mandatory expenditures for which
the state Legislature is responsb le
cannot be charged with any important
part of the increasing cost Of city gov
eminent. The amendment of such law
as now requires unnecessary expend-
Itures is, nevertheless, recommended
especially the election law and the po-
sltlon requiring payment for the re-
ports OF physicians and midwives.
The methods of assessment through
out the cities Of the state and the
equalization Of assessment are almost
universally unsatisfactory The en-
actment Of a law which will permit
third class cities and require second
class cities to reorganize their assess
ment offices and a constitutional amend
ment which will authorize the Legis-
lature to improve equalization methods
are recommended
The growing proportion Of exempt
property in the various taxing iuris-
dictions has become a serious problem
The appointment Of joint committee
of the Legislature to make a legal and
statistical study of the subject of tax
exemptions in this state Is recon-
mended.