The New York herald., 1921-12-19

or the Sinking tGnd commission 10
four years. replied:
II think II Is one of those fund
where there Is some question whethe
It Is sinking fund or not"
The committees recommendation pro
vides that the membership of the Boar,
OF Finance. while pro rated to tn
various boroughs. shall be elected by
city wide vote. Assemblyman Theodo
Stitt. Republican. OF Brooklyn. dis
sented to that provision and recon
mended that each borough elect its owl
members.
Fall Text of Report.
The full report of the committee fol
lows:
"The committee deems IL advisable a.
this time to report its conclusions as e
some basic changes in the charter OF tn,
city Of New York.
THE principal legislative powers O
the city are now vested in the Board o.
Estimate. which is composed of the exec
utive or administrative officers of tn,
city. The committee proposes that tn,
executive or spending power be sepa
rated from the appropriating power, ant
Tor this purpose recommends:
"(a) That board of finance of
nine members be elected by the city
at large for six years, three to be
elected every other year.
"(b) That the members although
elected by the whole city be resident
as follows: three In Manhattan, three
In Brooklyn and one in each OF tho
other boroughs.
"(c) That the Board OF Estimate
and Apportionment and the Sinking
Fund Commission be abolished, and
all the powers OF both boards over
city finances be transferred to the
Board OF Finance.
"(d) That the Board of Finance,
either upon the recommendation of
the Mayor, OF upon its own motion
have the power to abolish. modify
or consolidate the various depart
ments of the city.
"(e) That the Board of Finance
have the power of confirmation over
appointments to the Board of Taxes
and Assessments, whose tenure of Of
fee is to be fxed like members Of the
Board of Education.
"(f) That the Board of Finance on
the request of the Mayor or on it's
own motion have the power of re-
moving city officers by a two-thirds
vote for cause.
"(g) That the Mayor transmit a
budget for the support of the entire
city and of county governments to
the Board of Finance, and have the
power Of veto over the Board of FL
nance, subject to being overridden by
a two-thirds vote.
"(h) That the office Of President of
the Board of Aldermen be abolished
at the end of the term OF the newly
k. nd nf L
dermen retaining It's present powers
and. like the Board of Finance,
choosing it's own presiding officer
"U) That the purpose Of insuring
complete financial control in the new
Board of Finance, all mandatory leg
islation fixing charges on the city or
the counties for services of a purely
local nature be repealed, and that
further Hesitation of this character
be effectually restrained by constitu-
tional enactment.
"O) That the Mayor, Comptroller
and Borough Presidents retain their
executive and administrative powers
unimpaired.
'"The new board should be chosen at
the annual election in 1928 and prepare
its first budget for the year 1928, since
the budget for 1924 would be prepared
lnty COIfio ihbO OlAiNN'
How Plan VIII Work Out.
'The committee is OF the opinion
that II this plan be adopted 1t will
"First-Separate the appropriatins
power from the spending power-the
legislative from the executive. When
city rivals States in population OBJ
jections to uniting these powers in
%
powers were united in small munich
palities on the analogy of business
corporations, but in large corpora
tions there is usually division of
such powers.
"Second--F'urnish an opportunity
for the city to become articulate--to
speak directly and exclusively on the
financial issue every two years. The
duties of the new board will be finan-
clal. Parliaments and legislatures
are mostly concerned with appropri-
ations A vote for Mayor or Comp
troller, &c. under the present sys-
tenn gives no means for such an ex-
preston. and is usually given with
the express purpose Of securing some
expenditure without providing any
check on the amount available, or
supervision over it's expenditure in
have checks over expenditures
through the .nppropriatlng power.
"Third--From the dignity and au-
thority OF the body and, owing to It's
limited membership. from the dignity
and authority OF the several nem-
bers, and also by reason of its free
dom from administrative duties, at
tract the best class of candidates
available. 1t is hopeless TO induce
persons of high qualifications to un-
dertake local administration by piece
meal. Nothing less than general con-
troll over the finances or the city win
successfully invite such talent. The
election by the city at large Of the
members Of the board of finance, be-
sides tending to unity the sentiment
of the city on the principal question
relating to city government, will be
the best means of securing candidates
of capacity and character
"Fourth-By creating a legislative
body. promote and invite more ex-
tenslve delegation of powers of local
legislation, including the abolition,
modification and combination OF de-
partments, and require n repeal OF
mandatory State legislation of a local
character: Il will also from it's ma
ture be n powerful factor IN shaping
legislation affecting the city at AL
bany.
"Fifth--'rhrough the power OF con-
firmation of members OF the Board
of Taxes and Assessments and the
fixed tenure OF office make thenff
more Independent OF official interfer-
ence IN the performance OF their inn
portant public duties and prevent the
a.