Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-02-15
THE FIRST GUN FIRED.

Vigorous Opposition to the Proposed
 Consolidation Of Town, City and
 School GOvernments. n Editor of the DEMOCRAT:
 With your permission, I would like to call tAe- taxpayers attention to the pro- posed scheme to consolidate the town and Oity of Waterbury. I understand it is pet scheme of our honorable mayor aud thata bin will be introduced into the present legislature to that effect The project has been agitated for the past two or three years. but nothing definite has been de- termined until this year. And I under stand the matter will be pushed for all it is worth. and should the city fail in se- curing the passage of such a bill. that they will introduce another bill to gobble up the license money that the town is en- titled to, and apply it to their own use. As an excuse for their selHshness, they claim that the town does not pay it's share of the taxes. But I find on examination of the town reports for few years back that the shoe Is on the other foot, and that instead of the town being the gainer by the money received from the licenses, and paying the bills for the outside poor. state and commutation tax. bridges, hospitals, etc, it would be thousands of dollars in pocket by turning over the license money to the city, provided the city will agree to pay its own legitimate expenses within the city limits.
 Any person converssnt with the facts is aware that majority of the farmers pay about all they can afford. without any | additional burden. Their small farms produce barely enough for a comfortable l existence, without the city saddling any extra expense on them. that the city is le- ultimately holden. and if the city knows | when it is we'll of it will let well enough severely alone. Everybody knows that the city property has been steadily in creasing in value, while the town farms | have been steadily decreasing in value and are not as valuable at the present time into forty or fifty per cent as they were twenty years ago, excepting. perhaps. property in close proximity to the city lines, which could be brought into the city tax list by extending the city lines. The city lines remain identically the same as when the city was incorporated. and by extend | ing the city lines to reasonable distance. large amount of valuable prop erty could be made available for city tax es. There would be consistency in pre- senting bill of this character to the legis- lsture. The property near the city line is enhanced nearly as much by the growth of the city, as the property within the city limits. but after you reach a certain dis tance outside property has been constantly decreasing in value. l have been a small taxpayer in the city for the past thirty years, but would consider myself inconsistent to favor any such selfish and unreasonable demands.
 If the city expenditures are of such stupendous proportions as to creats un- favorable criticism, when presented to the public. would it not be more satisfactory | to curtail some of the expenditures, which | in many departments are acknowledged to be extravagant? Doa't saddle any expenses on the town that belong to the city to pay, for the purpose of taking the responsibil- ity of from your own shoulders as it is only by the strictest economy, a majority of the farmers save a sufficient sum to liquidate their tax at all
 The town votes annually large appro- ations, which are used principally for the benefit of the city: as everybody know who are familiar with the expenditures. The only benefit the town receives from these appropriations. is few dollars for the maintainance of the highways, and for the repairs of few bridges The remain der of the appropriations are spent DuIld- ing city bridges, care of the outside poor, building almshouse palaces. (for the care of the city unfortuuatss.) furnishing lad for the erection of police stations, hospi- tai bills aud the state and communication tax. Deduct all of these expenses from the total appropriations, and you will find a mighty small balance left for the town. | I'll confess that in the absence of statis- tiss, the argument advanced by those in favor of consolidation is very plausible, without giving any details. but I have never known of their producing any figures to verify their statement. would like to know on just what grounds theIr argument is based And I wish if possible to divide the running expenses ot each corporation. for just one year. to de- monstrate who IS deriving the most bene-
 At from existing circumstances. don't think 1t would be necessary to repeat the experiment, to convince the city that they had better let we'll enough alone.
 Supposing the city should succeed in euchering the town out of the $50, 900 or $60. 900 license money. the only result can see from such a course would be tc add in the neighborhood of Eve mills extra to the town tax, and diminish the city tax the same amount. but wouldn't the city taxpayer be obliged to pay it just the same. no matter which corporation render the bill. The only advantage the city de
 rives by taking the cash from the town treasury. and putting it into the city treas ury, would be to make & little more favor. able showing on their books. without any gain to the city taxpayer.
 The duty of the selectmen is impera tive. And they should not hesitate in the matter. They should employ the best counsel to represent the town and present the facts to the representatives in Hart ford. The measure should be contested to the last extremity. The rights of tho town should be protected at all hazards
 And with proper management the pro
 posed bill can be easily defeated.
 Let each corporation work on its owI merits, and not saddle the expenditures
 belonging to one. on the other. no matte
 how reckless the expenses appear, let eacl take the responsibility of its own affairs
 then the taxpayers can form some intelli
 gible Idea in regard to criticism. It ha
 been generally conceded that both admin istrations have been a little faulty. an,
 both have been severely called down. bu
 not without reason, as the expenditures il
 many departments have been enormous There seems to be a rivalry between tn tWo governments. to see who will spend tn
 largest amount of the peoples money. an' , have sometimes thought it was a seriou
 matter to decide, who should take the pre- , ference, but as I have the town report before me. and am just examining tn | almRhouse account. of nearly $1OO,OOO, I
 has convinced me that the town mus
 take precedence. The taxpayers are ''o to it" and unless they show a disposition
 to modify the expenditures they are liabl to hear something drop. I would advis , the taxpayers to look over the town repoT
 of last year and will guarantee they vii
 find some interesting information.
 , presume everybody is familiar wit , the proceedings of the annual town mee ing, held in the City hall one year previou P l to the last October election, at vhic