New-York tribune., 1921-01-04

For City Urged
By La Cuardia
General Clean Up of All De.
partments and Curtail-
ment of Unnecessary Ex-
pense Asked in Message
Opposes New School Tax
Condemns Transit Condi.
tions and Sees Improve
ment as Aid in Housing

There is not a member Of this
board, l am sure, but realizes that a
general reorganization of the city gov
ernment is essential, and the curtail-
ment of unnecessary expense must be
made if we are to make both ends
meet"
That was the keynote in the message
OF Major f. H. La Guardia, President
OF the Board Of Aldermen, to the board
at its first meeting in the new year
yesterday. The Aldermanic President
declared that all departments should be
urged to rid the city of incompetent
and inefficient employees who cannot
or will not work. This matter of bring
ing each department Up to the highest
state of efficiency, with every employee
doing his or her full share of work, is
of vital Importance, he said.
Transit Conditions Assailed
He declared that school buildings all
over the city had been allowed to 90
into state of delapida ton in order to
meet budget conditions from year to
year. He said that in some cases
school buildings were not only unsafe,
but unsanitary. He pointed cut that
the deficit Of S27,0OO,0OO in the budget
of the Department of Education was
Stlll to be met, and disapproved of
Mayor Hylan's plan to ask the Legis-
lature to raise this money and in turn
levy direct tax on the city, which
q
"Transit conditions in the city are
still unsatisfactory" said Major La
Guardia. "Under present congested
conditions construction of new lines
and extensions is absolutely necessary.
1t is one of the solutions of our hous-
ing crisis. At this time there seems
to be no inclination or thought given
to such extensions and a great deal of
the service on existing lines is far
from satisfactory. The fare question
is no longer an issue.
"The Board of Estimate the early
part of last year investigated transit
condltlons' The investigation present
ed the opportunity of obtaining a great
deal of information as to the financial
condition of the companies valuations
of property, cost Of operation and the
financial and political history Of the
various operating companies AS vet
no report of the investigation has been
fed"
The adermanic president declared
that sooner or later it would be neces-
sary to form zone all-embracing oper-
at;ng company" to take over the opera
ton of all transit lines in the greater
city, at the actoal present physical
valuation of the necessary and useful
property of the companies
The practice Of giving the city de-
partments permission to purchase SUD-
plies without public letting was CON
demned by the Aldermanic President.
AS to request resolutions" SO popular
with the board, Major La Guardia said
these measures should be limited to
matters under the jurisdiction of the
board.
The La Guardia message was re-
ceived and filed. 1t was not read but
was placed on the desk of every mem
Der. The only new alderman was David
j. Stewart, of 427 Fafayette Avenue.
brooklyn who was elected from the
aoth Aldermanic District in place of
Alderman Robert Starr Allyn. Stew
ART and Allyn are Republicans.
Borough President Henry II. Curran
and Alderman William T. Collins,
temperate majority leader of the
board, introduced a new local tax ordj-
nance which would exempt from tav-
atlon TO the extent of $4,000 each apart
ment in apartment houses or ono-fam-
lly or two-family houses for ten wears
ne original ordinance, which was de-
1eated, placed the exemption at $40 600
ne resolution was referred to the
committee on Rules. The board ad-
Journed until January IL