Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-13
ESTIMATES PASS TIE BOARD.
Two Democrats Tried to KaKe Changes But Repuh
 licans, Smiled, Voted and Winked the Other Eye.

The aldermen met last night, Chair 1 man Blakeslee presiding. All the re- publicans were on hand and three of the democrats. Messrs Murray, Der gen and Hurley. Mir Hurley with drew early in the evening, so that when the board reached the estimates the democratic forces had dwindled down to two. MT Murray made a fight for lower rate of taxation and threatened not to vote to approve the budget if the arbitrary tactics noted at the start were kept up, but MT Beach brushed the threat aside by re- minding the board that it took put nine votes to lay the tax, and then looked smiitNay on his eight col . leagues, and east whitening glance at the two democrats on the opposite side of the house. Last year the dem Ocrats were in the majority when the appropriations were approved and 4 they showed great consideration TOT the opinions of the minority, but things were different this time and l the stronger force didn't prove to be quite as easily handled as the ele-s ments that held the boards a gear ago.
 1 MT Beach started the ball rolling by moving that the estimates and re- sources be approved as a> whole un- less somebody had ala objection to raise. It was agreed 10 do this and let would-be objectors call attention to anything they wanted to question.
 Alderman Murray offered amend ments to half dozen different items with a view to making fourteen mill. ] tax. but nobody but the mover of the motion and MT Bergen voted for them. and after fight of over an hour the : estimates as submitted by the board of finance were adopted and the tax I levied
 During tue discussion MT Beach l said that be thought the reason our taxes are so high now is because the policy in the past was to make the | tax rate as low as possible and as result it is too high now.
 I To this Mir Murray replied that the rate of taxation is higher in Water bury than in New Haven. the rate 1 there being thirteen and one fourth mills. and he saw no reason why it should be running up here,
 r Alderman Blakeslee declared that the board of public works had been i starved in the past and he wanted the estimates for that department to go without dropping a penny.s The board and all the other boards and the 1e- partment of finance had given taase l matters a good deal of consideration i and knew what was wanted. 4 s'I don't see what there is ahead ! now" said MT Murray, tho more than. two years ago, and you people didn't hesitate about pitching into the board of public works and cutting down their estimates about $4O.O00. The boards of that time and the depart ment of finance gave their estimates great deal of consideration. but they were pruned down to what this board thought they ought to have Il without the slightest regard to what the boards needed. That was when I lanother administration was coming along to handle the money. The board of public works has been. starved. If that be true I'd like a lot of that kind of starvation. They had the biggest appropriation the de pertinent ever had this year and what I did they do with it? know streets that have not been touched since last spring Some Of our paved streets I4have not been swept in six months land several of the dirt roads have lnot been topdressed in a year and
 had nothing done with the gutters.
 You want to give them $69,90O more this year. If the taxpayers are will ing to stand for this, all right. have nothing at stake, but Pm speaking for l 1Iao y1n% %0l1 l1TS fNYs political effect nor trying to hamper the administration. I didn't do that Ia year ago when had the power If F [ wanted to use 1t that way.'
 [ MT Filling admitted that he be- lieyed some of the items excessively
 high, but he considered it best to let them go because it might be more
 difficult to get the money next year on account of demand for more ac- commodationS in the schools
 | Alderman Bergen asked very per ; tinent question and received two an-
 sWers. one evasiye and the other in- Egenuous. Mir Bergen wanted to know ] if the department Of safety had right to carry the unexpended balance
 for the north end fire house into next year instead of turning 1t back into I the city treasury as the charter pro- vides Chairman Blakeslee said that the board got advice op that matter. land Mir Beach said 1t was as broad as it was long. because if made re- source it would have to be re-appro- priated again. The alderman was not satisfied with the explanations but 1t was all he got. Evidently there was nothing else to ha said unless soma one came out hatfOoted and asked MT Bergen if he supposed the present ad- ministration bound by charter provts- ions.
 A communication was read from the Hon David G. Porter stating that Miss Caroline Platt is willing to uo- nate $2.5OO towards the purchase of the Porter property to be used as an addition to Hamilton park, with the suggestion that the new tract be known as Proprietor's common. The