Year: 1868

under which we suffer IN fifteen years, the taxes OF
the city have increased from s5OOOOOo 10 t~zoV"oU.
This progression has been steady and gradual mha'
will they amount to fifteen years from nowf since
1880 the population of the city has increased Jour
hundred per cent-but in the same time 'ho taAcs
have increased four thousand per cent


In order to hide the actual increase oi "A anu W
keep down the rate, the rdtudh0n VI oui cry piop
ertv has been raised higher and higher, until now
wo in the CITY of New-York have to pay nearly
half n, fares Of tho ,chOle STATE. The fact
10 thot slow but snre coniscation Of our property
=; in nm in order that our despolers may riot with
a. rrblic money Year after year, public officials
,;oo from comparative poverty to extraordinary
wealth while wear after year the taxpayer and the
rent-payer are mulcted in growing sums. IL the
value of property in the City OF New-iork were as
sssod on the same basis as in the other portions OF
the State the rate of taxation in the City OF New
Yorl, would be so great as TO cause revolution IL


ould nearly amount to the legal interest OF money
or seven per cent? and the holder OF real estate In
New-York would become little more than middle
man TO wiring the rental from his tenants and hand
it over to the gentlemen who do him the favor to
govern the City for SIS per head Oh every man, wo
man, and child on the island.


vast horde of persons, brought up and educatedto
regard public offices as heritage in families, or the





their names the pay-ros of the city and county; 10
satisfy the everncreasing number, new offices are
created and salaries enlarged. That portion OF the
community which accumuatcs property In the leglU-
innate pursuit of commerce and manufactures, are
forced TO support an army of pensioners and the ys
tenn which has placed them In power. Had the TAX
payers the power to regulate their taxes tho system
would bo destroyed and these pensioners reduced IN


single year. But this power is sreserved by the Leg
islature and by neglect of common precaution the
Legislature suffers the evils to exist and to spread


The contest which is now waged to reduce the local
taxes is a contest between property and those VINO
desire to possess it unlawfuy between that portion
of the community which has raised by honest indus
try our city to be the metropolis Of America and the
parasites who fasten on its prosperity to sap and TO
destroy it. Year by year. citizens of New-York are
driven by the high taxation to leave the island and
carry their industry and accumulated property into
nei ighbormg States.


1t is estimated that in few years there will be
but two classes residing in NewYork City, the very
rich and the very poor 1t is singular fact that the
largest investments made here in real estate arc
made by men who have grown wealthy III PUBIC
Office Public improvements" so called are pro-
jected in the interest of persons who own property
which they desire to be suddenly enhanced i'll value
at the cost of other property which they destroy.
Hundreds of valuable houses and lots are destroyed
to enrich few speculators Under the forms OF law,
the system increases every year


To end the system and to check the men who profit
by it, it is only necessary to watch the source whence
they derive their subsistence. This is the tax-evy'
The tax-leves are really filled with two classes OF
appropriations-One for the objects OF government
the other for what is usually called plunder They
are so interviewer that 1t is only by careful scrutiny
that fbey are distinpushed To grant the one and to
dsaow the other is the real work of the Legislature
about the tax-bls 1t is no excuse for the members
of the Legislature to say that in delaying action upon
the ax-evies they are merely following the example
of their predecessors for the Legislature of last
year, with view of abrogating this custom and of
giving future Legislatures full opportunity to pass
upon all the items of the leves enacted that here
after all estimates for the anticipated annual ex-
pendi lures of all Boards and Departments OF the
Government of the City of New-York shall be made
by the chief officer Of every such Board or Depart
ment in connection with the Mayor and Controller
of said city, and submitted to the Common Council
OF said city at the first meeting thereof in January
of each year; and said estimate, whether
acted upon or not by said Common Council, shall
be presented by tho said Mayor to the Legislature
of the State within three weeks from the time
of being so submitted to the said Common Council
and said estimates shall be taken to be the sole official
estimates of such Board and Department for such
annual expenditures of the year when 80 presented
III the duty of the Legislature be not performed lex
cept imperfecty, and upon the evo OF the adJourn-
ment our request to your Excellency in the name of
the taxpayers of New-YOrk, is that you will call 1T
together again to reconsider its haste and It's neglect
For this YOU will earn the special thanks oil every
person who pays directly indirectly by assessment
or by rent the annual tax. Very respectfully yours,


PETER COOPER. Chairman.


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