Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-26
BOARD OF ALDERMEN
Held Short Session Last Night on Consolidation.

I1eiu Il Snort session Last Nlgnt< on
 Consolidation.
 The board of aldermen held a short meeting last night to hear parties who desired to speak on consolidation, but the number who called were so few that the session did not last over ten or fifteen minutes. Besides Chairman Hall there were present Aldermen Mahaney, Kane, Foley, White. Blakes- less, Cross, Chesson and Walker
 John E. Booth of Highland avenle was the first speaker. He said he was not opposed to consolidation provided it should be brought about without working an injustice to any great number of people in the matter of tax alton. There is something wrong about this," he said. .'Some say it is the fault of the assessors, and some attribute it to something else. We have a grand list of about $12,OOO,O00. Property is assessed at one-third it's value and according to this all the taxable property of the city is worth but S36, 100000. Now, there is some mistake about that. I believe it is worth three times $36,OoO, ,OOO. Per haps the people on tine outside ought to pay q little more, but it would be a hardship to tax them at full rates for the next ten or fifteen years. I expect no public Improvements except an electric light for years, and on that account I should regard it unfair to be assessed for things which I could not profit by"
 Guy Porter, the milk dealer: q own property in the town and in the city and yet 1 have to pay tuition for my children when 1 send them to the city schools. 1 have schooled seven children and paid for them. I don't think this Is right. 1 believe if man is city rate payer he should have a right to send his children to school free, no matter whether he lives ill the town or in the city. Isn't it strange that city. taxpayer who resides in the town hasn't as much rights in the mat ter of school accommodation as some men who live in the city and pay no taxes? I believe people should be taxed in proportion to the benefits they receive out of the public treasury. Wouldn't it be all right to tax the out Siders one-half for the present and ac- cordinS as improvements are made in front of their property tax it at full rates? 1 have some scrub land that is worth little or nothing, but if there were a water main and sewer in front of it I could sell it or put up houses lneTe ana rent them. but tneSc are things that l am not going to have right away and l think some arrange ment should be made whereby such property will not be taxed any higher than at present. It would be an 1n- justice
 X petition was received from Mrs Eliza Kcegan ct al for a sidewalk on Mattatuck street; W. A. Goldsmith ct al petitioned for an electric light on Cooke street north of Pine street, and the Milford Land and Cottage Co asked for consideration of bill re garding taxes which came to 1t through an error. The two former pc titions were referred to the board of public works and the other went to the committee on aba tements. Ellen NJ. Towles, through her attorney. U. G. Church, gave notice that she will claim damage for injuries received by falling on an alleged defective walk opposite 3S-4O Bank street. The mat ter was referred to the committee on law.
 The board then adjourned.