Year: 1871

substantially as 1t was originally introduced, and
now commences the trouble and turmoil OF the ses.
sion. There Ia very decided opposition springng
up on the democratic side OF the house against this
new invention to provide ways and means for the
government or the CITY, The old fashioned tax levy
was the rich placer Of the session, from which the
prospecting members and their friends obtained their
nuggets of various sizes. 1t should be remembered
that the city Of New York the only city In the State
that comes to the Legislature for authority to raise
money for its support All the other cities raise
whatever amounts they deem necessary through
their Boards Of Supervisors. No one knows why 1t
was that the practice was instituted, and 1t seems to
be more q matter OF custom than law. When Mr..
Flagg was Comptroller he endeavored to trace the
origin ofthe practice but he reached no very definite
conclusion. The old system was to grant a sum In
gross, without any specification Of details
and to leave TO the local officers the
distribution OF the amounts required by
the various departments. Mr.. Flagg was
the author OF the innovation. He made the tax
levy sort OF


SYSTEM OF BOOKKEEPING,


each item being under separate head and this
scheme continued down to the present period. The
tax levies Of late however, have become the mere
vehicles for


THE BIG JOBS


OF the session, and have been looked forward to
on both sides OF the House as furnishing the
eventual compensation ana indemnity for all the
costly trials and tribulatlons OF legislative
lie at Albany, until at last the evil
has grown so great that the heads OF
the party and the government Of the city OF New
YORK determined summarily to uproot the evil by
providing summary remedy, limiting the amount
to be expended to fixed sum two per cent? on the
established valuation OF taxable property of the
present time. This scheme has the double motive,
tney contend. OF curing the excesses OF past tax
levies and OF providing remedy against threatened
abuses under the new charter 1t is not generally
known but such Is the ract that the charter passed
last year virtually


ABOLISHED rHE SYSTEM


OF tax levieS altogether. II gave to each DEPART
menJ the abs oute right to H. its own expendifures
and made 1t the duty OF the Board OF Supervisors
levy and raise the amount thus fixed without any
intervention OF the Legislature. 1t found that
this system Of determining the taxes by the heads OF
departments promised evils as great rs those that
scheme OF Mr.. Tweeds tax levy which is not in fact
Q tax levy, he asserts, 30 much as 1t Is a
anasy YavS aMd on %pon 81 ne existing
OF the city, In otner words, without this restriction
there was reason to apprenend that the taxes nigh,
reach to four or i've per cent, as In Brooklyn. Mr.
Tweed's tax levy says that no matter what the estl
mates Of the heads OF departments may be OF the
not spend more than two per cent annually On the the
present taxable property OF the city, and to lnis





scheme is opposed by the republicans because, as
the democrats say they prefer to asten upon tie
m0cracy ,'


wAsTEFULNBss AND .ExTRAvAdANCE
as means OF their downfall, and naturally dislike
to see economy credited to their political opponents.
Two difficulties threaten the success OF the scheme.
First, the New York members Will revolt against the
abolition Of the old system OF tax evies, which were
CHEEKY and comfortable to contemplate at the end
OF every session. and they will be joined by their
allies from the rural districts who opposed to
the new order Of things; so that eventually the Old
style Of tax levies-a bill In which everybody can
put something into, sort Of mll Ia which all the
Jobs can be ground Outwill be rallied upon by the
lower House. Mr.. Tweed firmly adheres to his
original proposition, and means to fight 1t out on
that line. Another enemy TO the new scheme comes
IN the shape OF the enormous amount Of


STATE TAXES


put upon the city OF New York by the State asses
OF the rural DISTRICTS discriminating In favor Of
the country at the expense OF New York. Let me
Illustrate The total amount OF State taxes for this
year Tor oil purposes y $l4 42sa,s78 %. OF which
amount the city Of New York is charged forty
per cent-wlthin q fraction OF the entire half of the
whee amount, being the total sum Of So TAI, ,956 49,
This latter amount, to be raised In the city OF New
York this year for State purposes, is more than q
few brier years ago was required for
the entire support Of the city and county
governments including State taxes. To make this
more clear, let me give detailed statement OF what
the city OF New York Is required TO raise this year
as its proportion OF the taxes Of the State TO be
assessed wholly In the city Of New York. give
item by item as follOws:-


For scno0le 81, l60, 354
For general purposes, l,16o, 3o4
For new State capitol ................... O,l77
Canal nOa0ng DEBT Observation-Disclosures. l16, 035
Awards Of appraisers OF Canal Board...... s12, 24s
For new work and extra repairs OF canals 92S, 2S3
For ChamplainsC Canal a...................... 1901
N@ -
AlsbD