New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-04-13
Violates Home Rule, Saws
Miller, Refusing In.
creases of $4,000 for
Mayor, Craig, Hubert
ALI Other Pay Bills
TO Meet Same Fate
Aldermen, Not Legisla.
ture, Should Attend Such
Matters, Says Executive
Froni O Stdf CorrcSnondnnk

'o-oay vetoed the Dill approved by
Mayor Hylan increasing the Mayors
salary from $4,000 to s25 900 and Civ
ing $4,000 increases to COMPTROLLER
Craig and Murray Hubert, President
of the Board Of Aldermen. He informed
them that their salaries could not be
increased legally during their term Of
office. The veto kills one of the pet
schemes Of the Hylan administration.
In vetoing the measure Governor Mil
Ter said that the bill was a plain viola
tlon of home rule. He quoted the law
and the constitution prohibiting in
creases of salaries of certain elective
and 'appointive officers during their
term of office. He quoted the charter
TO show that the Board of Aldermen of
tie City Of New York had the power to
make these increases, but that they
could not become effective until sue
tessors to Mayor Hylan, COMPTROLLER
Craig ~ President Hubert had been
elected.
Mayor Hylan, himself, disapproved OF
similar bill last year-on the eve of
election.
Will cto All the Others
In the memorandum ACCOMMODATING
ms veto the Governor said he would
/ veto all the other salary grab bills for
county officers and employees, which
the Mayor disapproved Of, as this would
only be in keeping with the principle
of home rule. The GoverncEs veto
message on the Mayors salary grab
bill follows:
This bill is plain violation of the
principle Of home rule. 1t increases
the salary of the Mayor and Comptrol
Ter of New York from $4,000 to
SIS 900 each, and the President of the
| Board of Aldermen from $4,000 to
$4,000
Section Sc of the charter says: 'Ex-
cept as this section otherwise provides s,
1t shall be the duty of the Board of
! = tdermen, upon the recommendation
Of the Board of Estimate and Appor-
tlonment, to fix the salary Of every
officer or person whose mpensation is
paid out Of the city treasury, other
than day laborers and teachers, ex-
am!ners and mem bers of the supervis-
ing staff of the Department of Educa-
ton. irrespective Of the amount fixed
shall be made in the salary of an elect
ed officer or head of a department dur
ing his tenure of Office
Leaves Salaries to Aldermen
"The power is thus vested in the
Board of Aldermen upon the recon-
mcndation Of the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment to fix the salaries
OF the Mayor, the Comptroller and the
President of the Board Of Aldermen.
with the limitation that any change
made shall apply only to the salaries
of the successors of the incumbents.
"The salaries of local officials should
be fixed by the local legislature. which
represents the taxpayers who pay
those salaries. The true function Of
the state Legislature is to confer ade-
quate power upon the local legislature.
That power has been conferred in this
instance subject. to the limitation
stated, which declares a principle be-
lieved by many to be sound. e..
that the salaries Of certain important
officials should not be changed during
their terms of office Similar pro-
visions are to be found in the state
constitution limiting the change of
salaries of certain state officers.
"I concur in the Mayors reason for
vetone a number of special city bills
| increasing salaries and sapproving
other salary increase bills submitted
10 MN by me; that is, that the power
to FIX those salaries is or should be
vested in the Board OF Aldermen and
the Board of Estimate and Apportion-
ment; but that reason applies with
double force to this bill because of
the express limitation upon any change
IN tie salary of the Mayor Comptroller,
etc, during their respective terms Of
office. The creator of that limitation.
| that is, the State Legislature. should
respect it. If it is unsound it should
be changed or repealed, not violated.
Advice on Home Rule
"The way to SECURE home rule is for
the Legislature to confer suitable pow
ers over local affairs upon the local
officials, and then scrupulously to re-
frain from itself exercising those pow
ers.
"The fixing of salaries Of local Off
cials is peculiarly a matter Of local
cognizance, so much so that ! have re-
ferred 10 the Mayor various bills in
croa sing the salaries of county officials
within the greater city. and snail fol-
low his recommendation in disapprovng
them. | think the constitution might
we'll be amended to require such bills
(Contirusd on paee thr.o