The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-12-14

senting the people.
 During our terms of office new tasks and responsibilities are likely to be imposed upon us. the accomplish nest cooperation. We should keep before us in the performance of our work but one aim, that we shall faithfully and impartially execute the duties of our offices according to our best sktll and judgment" in such a way as to promote the best interests of the city.
 The Charter imposes upon the may or the duty of recommending from time to time such measures connected with the security. health, cleanliness and ornament of the city, or with the improvement of its government and finances. as he shall deem expedient.
 feel 1t my duty at this time to call your attention to the existence of cer- tain conditions and to recommend for your consideration measures which I believe to be conducive to the welfare of the city. These recommendations are quite aside from the general statement of the situation. state and Is required to communicate to the Common Council on the first Monday of June in each year.
 It should be our purpose to apply business principles to the affairs of the municipality. to furnish a thor
 
 in every department. and especially to establish our finances on a sound basis. The administration should be progressive and economical The practice of economy in municipal af- fairs is often misconstrued to mean that needed public improvements are to be overlooked or postponed, but this is not true economy. I believe in the economical conduct of the busi- ness of the City but in such economy ae rx-f11 mi pone necessary improvements.
 The City should receive the great est possible return for the amount of money expended without any diminu- ton of the quality of the services rem dered or of the supplies furnished.
 An important problem confronting municipality relates to the equali- ration of taxes Since our city was incorporated great enterprises have grown up which have contributed in a large degree to our prosperity and to our standing as one of the fore most cities of the country.
 The values of some forms of prop erty have increased with great rapf- dity. Because of this increase, some such properties are not valued ac- cording to the meaning of the law, while other forms of property, more especially dwellings. have been listed at substantially full value. This is. of course, unjust as well as unlawful.
 
 property shall be assessed at its true market value. The law is not aimed at any particular class of citizens, nor at any special kind of property. It applies to all citizens and to all prop erty not exempt from taxation, which is subject to be levied upon for muni- cipal purposes. This law must not. and, we believe. will not be invoked against any particular set of men or particular kind of property.
 rf,a .rF " fxof fnr f1 not unique to Bridgeport. Other cities are grappling with this impor- tant problem forced upon them by the expense of caring for the needs. of a population that is increasing at a rate.
 Most of the deficiencies in the City of Bridgeport at the end of the fiscal year, will be found, upon -fnvestigsl- tion. to have had their origin in its income This ina.ie- the demands for necessary improve ments cannot be remedied while our homes, together with the lands, fur nish more than five eighths of the public revenue
 The platform upon which the May Il or was elected pledged him, and sll those who were elected with him, 70 an equitable adjustment of the tax system This promise. as every other promise made to the people, must be kept Section 36 of the Charter says: | 'The Board of Police Commissioners. | Fire Commissioners. Park Commis- | Charities and Apportionment. | shall elect from their | own members a president who shall | be known as the head of such de- | partment. Such heads of depart | nents shall have seats in the Com | mon Council. and they shall be en- titled to take part in the proceedings | 6RllhaTq tiOnC Council on all questions relating to or | affecting their respective depart | nents; but they shall not have the | light to vote thereon"
 This privilege certainly has not | been taken advantage of by the presi- | ients of the above departments in | he past. except on rare occasions, and | he consequence has been that mat | CTS have come up for consideration | Iffecting these departments and have | ,een acted upon without a proper un- of the conditions relat- ng to them