The engineer in the service of New York state. The engineer in the service of New York city. List of official registers and directories, published by the United States gov ernment. List of civil service commissions in the No. 80, Dec., 1916. The elements of state budget making. 63 P. "Maryland's executive budget," by Gov ernor Harrington of Maryland. No. 81, Jan., 1917. Some results and limitations of central financial control as shown by nine years' experience in New York city. 63 P. No. 82, Feb., 1917. Highway laws of the United States, a topical discussion, by A. N. Johnson. 163 p. No. 83, Mar., 1917. No. 84, April, 1917. No. 85, May, 1917. Japanese administration and finance. 72 p. Problems of highway administration [by Widows' pension legislation [by Chester A year of widows' pensions in New No. 86, June, 1917. The New York state legislative budget No. 87, July, 1917. Canadian provincial budget system and financial history, by Harold G. Villard. 60 p. No. 88, Aug., [ 1917. 1917. The New York city budget [by Arnold Instruction in civics in New York city p. No. 90, Oct., 1917. The state movement for efficiency and economy [by Raymond Maley]. 163 p. Coöperative Investigations The Bureau of municipal research assisted in the preparation of the following reports: A bureau of child hygiene; coöperative studies and experiments by the Department of health of the city of New York and the Bureau of municipal research . . . [New York] Bureau of municipal research, 1908. 40 p., I I. incl. tables. front., plates, forms. The constitution and government of the state of New York: an appraisal. Transmitted to the New York state constitutional convention commission. [Prepared for the Constitutional convention commission by the Bureau of municipal research and the New York state department of efficiency and economy.] [Albany] Bureau of municipal research, 1915. 250 p. incl. diagrs. Efficiency and next needs of St. Paul's health department, report submitted by the New York bureau of municipal research and Training school for public service, March, 1913. [New York, 1913.] 48 p. At head of title: St. Paul anti-tuberculosis committee, St. Paul, Minnesota. Government of the city of New York; a survey of its organization and functions, prepared for the Constitutional convention, 1915, by the office of the commissioners of accounts, New York city, and New York Bureau of municipal research. New York, J. J. Little & Ives company, 1915. xxxi, 1343 p. Government of the state of New York. A description of its organization and functions. Prepared for the New York State constitutional convention commission by the New York State department of efficiency and economy and New York Bureau of`municipal research. January 1, 1915... [Albany, J. B. Lyon company, printers, 1915.] xxxii, 768 p. diagrs. (part fold.). Municipal year book of the city of New York. [New York], 1913. PUBLICATIONS OF THE METZ FUND Publication No. 1-New York, 1911 Contents. To Mayors, comptrollers and auditors. 1911. No. 35. No. Plan for establishing a model government in the District of Columbia. Short talks on municipal accounting and reporting. National fund for promoting efficient municipal accounting and reporting. 1911. Handbook of municipal accounting, prepared by the Metz fund from descriptive and critical data collected, and constructive recommendations made by the Bureau of municipal research. New York, D. Appleton and company, 1913. xxx, 318 p. fold. forms, fold. tables. (Half-title: Metz fund handbooks of city business methods .) PUBLICATIONS OF TRAINING SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ... Training school for public service; announcement-1911, conducted by the Bureau of municipal research .. [New York, 1911.] 16 p. The same, 1916-1917. 12 p. Preliminary report on conditions and needs of rural schools in Wisconsin. Results of field study reported to the Wisconsin state board of public affairs by the Training school for public service. August, 1912. [New York, 1912.] 92 p. (Efficient citizenship bulletin, No. 587.) [First] annual report. 1911-1912. [Second] annual report for 1912-1913. (Efficient citizenship bulletin, No. 670.) [Third] annual report for 1913-1914. [Fourth] annual report for 1914-1915. 30 p. (Municipal research [No. 64]. Extra No. 1, August, 1915.) ARTICLES Allen, W. H. Better-business methods for cities. American Review of Reviews, Feb., 1908. v. 37: 195-200. Allen, William H. Training men and women for public service. American academy of political and social science. Annals, May, 1912. v. 41: 307-12. [The National training school for public service conducted by the New York Bureau of municipal research.] Beard, C. A. Reconstructing state government. New Republic, Aug. 21, 1915. v. 4: sup. I-16. [Deals largely with the Bureau of municipal research and its work in connection with the New York state constitutional convention.] Bruère, Henry. Bureau of municipal research. What it has done for better government in New York city. World's Work, April, 1912. v. 23: 683-6. Bruère, Henry. Government and publicity. Independent, Dec. 12, 1907. v. 63: 1422-6. Cleveland, Frederick A. An agency of citizen inquiry. (In his Chapters on municipal administration and accounting.) New York, 1909. p. 346-61. Heaton, J. P. Municipal research; ten years of the pioneer New York bureau. Survey, Dec. 4, 1915. v. 35: 230. Hopkins, George B. New York bureau of municipal research. American academy of political and social science. Annals, May, 1912. v. 41: 235-44. [Accomplishments of the Bureau.] Prendergast, William A. The work of the Bureau of municipal research in relation to the administration of the city's finances. 1915. 8 p. Reprinted from the Real Estate Magazine, November, 1915. Report of the division of field work of the New York bureau of municipal research for the year ended Dec. 31, 1916. Record and Guide, Feb. 7, 1917. v. 99: 218. › Wickersham, George W. The new constitution and the work of the Bureau of municipal research. 1915. 6 p. Reprinted from the Real Estate Magazine, October, 1915. CHAPTER VII AGENCIES FOR INVESTIGATING THE ADMINISTRATION OF PARTICULAR CITIES: OFFICIAL There are but few instances where an official body has been created by a municipality for the purpose of making a study of its system of administration with a view to effecting improvements in it. The explanation of the slight extent to which efforts to improve methods of municipal administration of this character have been made is probably to be found in the difficulty that is experienced in giving to such bodies and their work a non-political character and the extent to which this field has been occupied by privately organized and supported bureaus of municipal research. Boston, Mass.: Finance Commission of 1907-1909. In response to a public demand, voiced especially by the Good Government Association, for an investigation of the financial condition and fiscal administrative methods of the city, the mayor of Boston, in January, 1907, sent a message to the city council in which he recommended the appointment of a finance commission empowered and directed to make this investigation. The council complied with this request, and authorized the mayor to appoint a commission which should include one representative from each of the following organizations: The Associated Board of Trade, Chamber of Commerce, Boston Merchants' Association, Clearing House Committee, Real Estate Exchange and Central Labor Union. The following functions and powers were given to this body: Such finance commission shall examine into all matters pertaining to the finances of the city, including debt, taxation and expenditures, shall give public hearings, and shall in particular inquire: 1. Whether under the present practice of the city its objects of expenditure are rightly divided between those which may properly be provided for by loan and those which should be met by taxation, and whether its loans are now issued for proper periods. 2. Whether the present distinctions between loans inside and outside the debt limit are based upon sound financial principles. 3. Whether any change should be made in the present system of accumulating sinking funds and issuing new loans annually. 4. Whether debt, taxation or assessments upon property are now excessive, and, if so, in what manner the same can be reduced. 5. Whether present systems of bookkeeping, auditing and administration afford sufficient protection to the city treasury. 6. Whether the cost of any municipal works or services now paid for from the city treasury should be raised by special assessment, or whether any changes should be made in existing provisions for the laying and collecting of special assessments. 7. Whether the financial burden imposed upon the city in connection with the expenditures for the construction and maintenance of metropolitan works is excessive or unfair, and, if so, how the same can be reduced or made equitable. 8. Whether any changes should be made in the present distribution of powers relative to appropriations, loans and expenditures. 9. Whether the general taxation laws of the state, and particularly those relating to the taxation of the property of corporations, operate fairly in respect to the interests of Boston, and, if not, what changes should be made in them. 10. Whether appropriations and loans for the several departments of the city are larger than necessary. II. Whether the limit of municipal indebtedness should be fixed by constitutional amendment, or the present statute, fixing the limit, should be repealed or amended. It was further ordered that the Finance Commission inquire I. Whether it is advisable to create new sources of revenue, and, if so, to suggest the sources and for what purpose the proceeds should be applied. |