The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-11

Senator Garry Paddock of Bridge port is up in arms over the proposed amendment to the charter concerning the permanent paving and sewer com mission, which Col. M. H. Rogers of Bridgeport. chairman of the commits sion, handed to Senator F. A. Bartlett with the request that it be favorably reported as a substitute for some of the pending charter amendment favored by the Taxpayers League. Senator Paddock today, following the lead of Col. Rogers, submitted to Sen ator Bartlett a proposed amendment to the charter of Bridgeport which pro- vides in effect for the abolishment of the commission The amendment is very brief. It reads as follows:
 Resolved, by this assembly, that Section of an act amending the char ter of the city of Bridgeport, approved June %, 1909, be and the same hereby is repealed. rescinded and annuled. This act shall take effect from its passage"
 In relation to the above Senator Paddock said: 1T am unalterably op- posed to the amendment introduced by the chairman of the paving commits sion. Some time ago I contemplated introducing the amendment which I introduced today. I believe the per, manent paving and sewer commission is an unnecessary luxury in Bridge port. I am a member of the Com mon Council there and believe I am familiar with the duties of that de- partnent believe the Common Council is competent and capable of looking after the work of paving and repairing our streets and awarding the contracts for our sewers. I am satis- fled that there is very little senti- ment in Bridgeport in favor of main taining the present commission. think the time has come to abolish it, and place the responsibility for the work that 1t Is doing upon the Com mon Council, the peoples legislature.
 1T do not believe the president of the commission has any right to offer any such amendment up here, taking as it does great powers now residing submitting his amendment to the Com mon Council"
 Senator Bartlett said he had not as yet found time to thoroughly analyze the proposed amendment introduced by the president of the commission. How ever, the matter is one, he said, that he would carefully consider. Before any action is taken upon it, he said, the people of Bridgeport will have an to be heard, for he will arrange to have public hearing held upon 1t.
 Col. Rogers said it was a mistake to assume that the amendment which he proposed would in any way lessen the powers of the Common Council. He said the powers which the commits sion now sought, 1t had been orignal- ly intended to confer upon it, but an error the matter was over looked at the time the commission was created He said the powers the com mission now seeks are necessary If the body is to be able to enforce its or ders He said the officials of Bridge port, including the city attorney, city auditor, Mayor, and public works di- rector had been consulted and were not opposed to the added powers pro- posed
 He denied that he had attempted in any way to surreptitiously get the matter into the hands of the commit tee, saying he had several conferences in relation to the matter with the city attorney.
 It is understood that Senator Me Neil and Representatives Bent and MeItzer do not look kindly upon the proposed amendment favored by the roiccinn