The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-01-21
CITY AUDITOR HEATING RECOMMENDS
LOWER TAX RATE FOR COMING YEAR

to be an uncalled for tax, and there
fore omit the State Tax from my list
of appropriations. The State will
probably derive a revenue from the
Personal Tax Bill, Of more than $780,
900. Bridgeport, for instance, paid
last year for Military Communication
Taxes about $4,000 to the State,
whereas, under the new law, we will
pay to the State an estimated amount
of $4,000. And of course all other
increased ratio, so that the income
of the State under the new law will
be more than doubled. I think we
can safely assume that a State tax
ought not to be necessary and will
not be levied.
Education.
In addition to the regular ordinary
increase in expenses, the Board of
Education requests a special increase
for salaries to teachers, amounting
to S25,7OO.00.
L allow the entire salary requisi-
ton, including such special increase.
I have been of the opinion for
years that the salaries of the teach
ers in our public schools were, and
that they still are, inadequate for the
services expected, and indeed requir-
ed, of the instructors Of our children,
and that justice and fair play call for
a substantial increase of compensa-
ton.
Now that the Board of Education
has realized this fact and asked that
an adequate sum be provided, that
will enable the Board to grant, in
some measure, the just demands OF
the teachers, 1t affords me pleasure
to comply with such request and
hereby grant the entire salary re-
QUESTION.
1 find it necessary to cut down
other items Of the school requisition
h,,% fIn o1ov into 1T
also recommend the avails of one
mill tax on the Grand List for new
schools, and as said list will prob
ably reach the sum of $S9.O00,OOO.0O
the tax recomm ended will realize $780,
10000 which ought to be sufficient
able needs.
Police Department.
allow a sum sufficient to add ten
new men to the force, as in my judg-
ment the proper protection of person
and property justifies such an in
crease.
It is better, as I view it, to afford
proper prolice protection and thus
prevent crime, rather than, after
crime has been committed, spend
money in the detection and punish
ment Of the Offenders
In relation to the new police sta
ton at the West End, 1 consider 1t
|
to be met from the proceeds Of a
bond issue, and so recommend.
I ought to add that I do not con-
slider a new station a necessity at the
present time.
Fire Department.
This important arm Of the public
service has been well cared for dur
ing recent years and has reached g.
high state of efficiency. It seems to
be good business policy to maintain
1t there.
The Commissioners now ask for
an addition to the permanent force
of ten men, who, I assume, will be
promoted from the call force, if prac-
ticable.
The engineers Of the department.
at least, ought to be permanent men,
but, of course, all Of the details of
the increased force and its assign
ment are for the Commissioners to
arrange as they are the most COM
petent to deal with the matter.
I provide, by special appropriation,
for the addition Of ten permanent
men.
The Commissioners also ask for
new apparatus costing $26,500.
It is not absolutely essential, how
ever desirable it may be, to provide
all the new apparatus asked for at
this time, in view of the many other
mora pressing demands in other
pose the sum of $4,000 including the
sum reappropriated.
If, after thorough trial, the new
apparatus proves satisfactory we can
supplement the equipment next year.
Care Of Poor.
AS usual, the Commissioners in
charge have exceeded their last years
appropriation and the annual deficit
appears. 1t is useless to attempt to
keep down the expenses of the Char
tiles department, by Withholding any
part of the reasonable acquisitions, as
under the provisions Of law, the
Board has a right to expend the
for proper care and maintenance Of
the poor and dependent.
feel confident that this board,
composed as it is, of large taxpayers
and successful business men, will so
administer the affairs Of the depart
lowest point, consistent with a proper
discharge of the duty of properly
caring for the deserving poor.
L grant, in full, the regular re-
QUESTION of the board, including the
deficiency amount.
Street Lighting.
I recommend for appropriation the
on Street Lighting. 1t is just as i'm
portant in the protection of person
and property that our streets should
be we'll lighted, as that they should
be efficiently patrolled by our police
force.
The one is a valuable adjunct to
the other.
Then again, by bringing the num-
Der of Arc lights UP to the minimum
number emitting us to a. reduction
in price, we are able to get an in
creased number of lights without a
corresponding increase in the ex-
pense.
By providing for TOO arc electric
lights we will save considerable in the
cost of same, under the new schedule
as compared with the old.
The price to be paid for lights.
provided at least 700 are in Use, is
S1.83 less per light, per year, and the
actual difference in cost would there
fore be $1,281.00. The company has
just announced a reduction in price
to private consumers and it's action
in this respect is commendable. Let
us trust that similar liberality may
be extended to the City of Bridgeport
in its corporate capacity, as a slight
appreciation of the valuable fran
chise enjoyed by the company here.
The Personal Tax.
Under the provisions of the Per-
sonal Tax Bill passed by the General
Assembly at its last session, every
male person, between the ages of 81
and 60 years, except those specially
exempt, shall be liable to a. tax Of
two dollars in lieu of poll and COM
mutation tax, and such tax may be
collected either by the regular COL
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