The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-02-01
NEW TAX MEASURE
BLOW TO MACHINE
Bill Strips Comptroller and
Secretary Of State of
Patronage Power.
CREATES NEW BOARD
Collections Systematized and
Placed in Hands Of Single
Commission.
CREATES NEW BOARD
Special Despatch to THE New YoRx HzRALp
New York Herald Bureau.

Special Despatch to THE New Yolx HxRALp.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, Jan. 81.
The State Comptroller's office Is
stripped Of most of its patronage and
power and the Secretary Of States
Office is robbed of its most important
bureau by terms OF the bill presented
to the Legislature tonight embodying
Gov. Miller's recommendations for re-
organizing the tax collecting agencies
of the State.
Creation of a new commission or
three members Is proposed, the, chair
man to have salary Of $4,000 and
the two others salaries Of $4,000. The
bill transfers from the Finance De-
partment to the new commission the
Income Tax Bureau. the Mortgage
Transfer Tax Bureau. the Stock Trans
fer Bureau. the Transfer Inheritance
Bureau and the Manufacturers Mer-
camille Corporation Tax Bureau.
All the duties now centred in the
State Tax Commission are continued In
the new body, including the administra-
ton of all State tax affairs excepting
those which have been lodged IN the
Finance Department and the once OF
the Secretary OF State.
The automobile tax, heretofore col
Iected by the Secretary Of State.
amounts to about $s.00o,ooo a year. and
In its administration there Is great
amount OF patronage. John J. Lyons
the head Of that Office. has served notice
that he will not relinquish this import
ant bureau without fight
To the new commission will be given
full authority for the appointment OF
all subordinate officers and employees
and the establishment OF divisions and
bureaus. The two Junior commissioners
are required to sit with tho administra-
tive Commissioners In discharging the
strictly judicial functions Of the depart
ment The president Of the commissicn
will have authority to assign the TWO
other commissioners to such duties as ne
may think necessary.
The bill is to take effect July i. II
Is proposed to mako no detailed changes
in the administration of the bureaus. and
another bill win be presented reorganiz-
inr the methods Of collecting the inher-
itance tax. and probably vesting In local
ofi,ces some Of the functions which are
now exercised by the Secretary of State
In the collection Of motor vehicle taxes
and the revocation of chauffeurs' IL
censes.
The feature of the plan of reorganiza-
ton which hits hardest at the politicians
and the one which has especially aroused
their opposition deals with the lnher-
itance Tax Bureau. That Office has been
an easy berth for politicians for several
years. 1t has developed into one Of the
big patronage grabs of the State govern
ment.
The inheritance tax Is collected on
fee basis through appraisers and attor-
neys In every county. The positions
have always been dealt out by the State
Comptroller through the county organ
izations. and have formed the bulwark
OF his political machine In his night for
denomination or higher Office. Robbed
OF that power the Comptroller becomes
little more than an auditor OF State
accounts.
All these Offices under the new scheme
probably will be abolished and the duties
turned over 70 the county surrogates'