The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1920-01-05
CITIZENS UNION
USES SEARCHLICHT
ON BOARD CLEANUP
Characterizes Some of the Ac,
tons at Final Meeting Good;
Others Criticized.

Despite its u1popuiarity with Mayor
Hyiaa and other city officials, the Citi-
zens' Union continued yesterday TO throw
IT'S ''seaTchlightp into City Hall In the
current issue Of SeaTcbiight, the Citizens
Unions publication. criticism is directed at
some Of the measures put through at the
last meeting OF the old Board OF Esti-
up as much as possible before the two
new Republican members could take part
in the proceedings. The Searchlight, how
ever, commends the appropriations for
new schools and the killing of the project
10 erect Health Department building.
"ifhe clean up meeting OF the original
Hyian Board Of Estimate on December
50 last was notable for some good things
and for several bad ones that were then
put through" says the Searchight. 1.-THE
ordering of the traction inquiry was a
much beiated recognition Of the Board s
duty TO ascertain the facts of the transit
situa ton. IL is to be hoped that the
period of mere talk is now over and that
the problem is on the way to solution
The appropriation for schools was good
provided the Board of Education has not
been hamstrung by restrictions upon q
proper degree of freedom Of action. An
other good move was the killing of the
totally indefensible plan of the admins
tration 10 erect a Health Department
building at cost of 100000 on West
Thirtieth street
1T IS gratifying, Of course, to have the
building of the court house finally under
way. But the board was extremely I'M
wise In declining to submit the new plans
TO the Municipal Art Commission and in
designating the Controller as the board 8
committee to proceed with the actual work
or construction. The matter is in conflict
with the clear spirit, if not the precise
letter, of the law. Under the present plan
the spending and auditing officer will be
the same. The principle of that is essen
tally BAD, 1t could have been avoided il,
as would have been the natural procedure,
the PRESIDENT Of the Borough of Manhat-
tan had been delegated to construct the
building, The difference in politics be-
tween him and most of his colleagues on
the board should not have entered into the
matter.
Several things the board did at This
meeting are indefensible For instance,
more than sl,o0,060 of special revenue
ponds was authorized TO supplement the
eAistng appropriation for the final dis
position of garbage and s275 900 of these
ponds was voted 10 provide policemen S
salaries for the last half of December. To
evade the limitation of 10000 on the
amount OF such bonds which may be is
sued IN a single year for such purposes, as
PRESCRIBED by the charter, the bonds were
Voted under another provision of the
CHARTER, which provides no such maximum
limitation but which was never intended
to apply to such cases
Inc explanation is that the 1919 budget
was purposely and improperly skimped IA
essential appropriations, the s2.dOO,0o0 of
permissible bonds was not enough 10 nro.
woe needed additional moneys and then a
course OF iawiessness was Imperative IL
vital services We're TO be paid for.
Totally unjustified was the shift ., co,,,
nittee assignments so as to exclude the
new members Of the board from It's all too
frequent secret deliberations. This how
ever, Is likely to prove a boomerane sor
II WIN necessitate the public explanations
OF matters like those which the originai
sion" ses-