The New York herald., 1921-01-14
PLAN TO REDUCE TAXES
Resolution authorizes the
Board of Estimates Exam
iners to Suggest Savings.
HAAG TO DIRECT WORK
ComptrolIer's' Ground to Be
Cut From Under Him in
Presentation of Data.

Spurred on by Gov. Miller's inaugu-
ration of a programme of economy in
State government and the inevitable
popularity which that Republican
plank will have in the forthcoming
municipal campaign, Mayor Hylan
called together yesterday the commit
tee of the whole of the Board of Esti-
mate and laid plans to begin the busi-
ness of making up the city budget of
1922 on an economy basis.
The authorizing resolution which
will be introduced to-day in the Board
Of Estimate is a double barrelled in
strument, the second barrel being
aimed at Comptroller Charles L. Craig
1t had been loaded by the Mayor and
F. r. La Guardia. President of the
Board of Aldermen. united by their
mutual lack of affection for the Comp
troller.
The resolution will authorize the
Board of Estimates examiners TO begin
at once an examination of the needs and
expenditures of all departments with
view TO recommending economies which
in 1922 will reduce the city's taxes. a
burden limited this year only by the
constitution itself The examiners will
be authorized to dc the work under the
direction OF Joseph Haag, secretary of
the Board of Estimate, and therein lies
the wallop that is aimed at the Comp
troller.
While the resolution ~iu nov take
from the Comptroller any power in fact,
il will forestall his custom of making
up the tentative budget in the fall with
out taking the Board of Estimate eX-
tensively into his confidence.
The plan 10 be proposed will place III
the hands of the Board of Estimate conf
plctc Information on the needs of all de-
partments. so that the board can deter
mine the basis and the final figures for
the next budget without the necessity
of depending upon the Comptroller 1t
Will make it incumbent on department
heads to cooperate.
Every member of the Board of Esti-
mate was represented at the committee
meeting except the Comptroller. 1t is un-
derstood that the Comptroller declined TO
send representative to the meeting
when he could not learn what was the
purpose OF the meeting
IL is expected that the Comptroller
viii be prepared to put up the liveliest
possible fight in the Board OF Estimate
when the resolution is introduced to-day.
The resolution breaks wide open anew
the hostilities between the Comptroller
on the one hand. and the Mayor and La
Guardia on the other.
In order that the board may keep un
closely with the work of it's investigators
and that The Comptroller may not steal
a march. the Mayor will call n meeting
OF the committee of the whole in the first
week of March and monthly thereafter
to receive reports of progress from the
examiners.
There was misgiving on the part of
several borough heads yesterday over
the possibility of deeper cuts in their
departments than they might wish. but
the urgency of real relief TO the tax
payers and of beating the Republicans
t. the post with an economy plank in
the next municipal campaign sufilced to
ovcrrule all objections. 1t appears.
therefore. that the Mayor and the Presi-
dent Of the Board OF Aldermen virtually
have forced the Comptroller either TO
accept the plan or TO play lone hand
against this blow at his power.