The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-18

Sentiment completely overshadowing
that favorable to the abolition of the
two tax districts of the city developed
| in opposition to the MacF'ayden reso-
luton when the Common Council
heard arguments upon the proposition
| in public hearing at it's meeting
last evening.
Nicholas Tesiny, who described him
self as a resident of The Bronx' of
Bridgeport Former Congressman
Robert E. DeForest and Judge Alfred
Beers were the leaders In opposition,
and they were followed by others who
spoke briefly along the lines the chief
speakers followed
Briefly the contention of the oppOsi-
ton is that the First district should
not be called upon to pay taxes the
same as are paid in the Second dis
trict because the First district, does
not get the additional advantages at
taching to the property owners with
In the Second District, and that the
residents of the First district as a
general. proposition are paying for
everything they get. 1t was not con-
tradicted that there may be certain
portions of the First district that
trict, but the speakers who attracted
most attention had to do with the
territory in the North End and in the
Black Rock section.
The hearing opened about $40.
Mayor Buckingham, following the US
ual custom first called for expressions
from those desiring to be heard in
favor of the petition. James w. Drew,
spoke briefly ana argued that the city
should include In the Second district
all territory where sewer facilities are
provided. The question of fire protec-
n
ment, he said, because the insurance
companies protect the home owners
in any event. Mr.. Kelly, a resident Of
North avenue, protested that it was
unjust that owners of property in the
Mountain Grove cemetery section in
the First district should be able to
hold lots for $4,000 and $4,000 by rea-
son of constant public improvements
while that section in the northerly
section. across the old HOusatonic
tracks in the Second district should
be neglected to such an extent that
$500 hasn't been spent there for years
in the way of providing public i'm
provements. He challenged contradic-
ton as to this statement. There were
no others to be heard in favor of the
resolution.
Nicholas Tesiny got the floor first of
the opposing host. He styled the sec
ton where he lived in the familiar
phrase '"The Bronx of Bridgeport"
and said it was the haven of the small
home owner, where the man with
small capital goes to provide a home
for his family.
Then he read the resolution of AL
derman MacFayden. He disliked the
city clerks reading of the resolution.
1t was too fast he said. and the people
didn't get q chance to get the drift
OF it. He re-read it, slowly, dwelling
on each of the reasons advanced, the
growing size Of bonds, the unlawful
expenditure of Second district money
for first district improvements, the
limit of taxation now reached in the
Second district, and sought to refute
each one.
He read a list of streets, including
Salem street, Marion street Fairview
avenue. Higgins avenue. Quarry street,
where he said the streets were of dirt
alone. There was no waste OF the
city's money in improving these First
district thoroughfares, he argued
There were two streets that he knew
of in the First district In that sec
ton where macadam roads were laid
Madison avenue and Main street. Mad
ison avenue got it's macadam in 1895
he said, and it hasn't received very
much attention since. Main street
got it's macadam in 1891, was untouch-
ed till 1906 and then again was part
ly repaired in 1909. But the First DIS
trict pays it's share for these works
under the present system of taxation.
AS for other Improvements he dwelt
on gas, electrics lights and trolleys,
and declared that wasn't a part Of
the argument. If the residents of the
first district get these things. it is be-
cause they themselves pay for them,
not through taxation. AS for sewers,
the residents to be benefited pay
three-fourths the cost, the city one
fourth and the Second district doesn't
have cause to complain. Water is OBJ
tanned when the residents pay for it,
not through the gift of the city.
Second district got as little proper
tionately in return for what it pays
for taxes, as does the First, there
would never be question of the ne
cessity for bonding for improvements.
He read from the auditors report to
show that the First District residents
pay for lights just as do residents
of the Second district.
He declared if the First district
were called upon to pay the same tax
rate as the Second district the same
protection relative to, fire and police
must be given to the outskirts. He
said he recalled only one fire in 20
terized as ''The Bronx The police
protection at present comes he says
from visits of the dog agent to coll
lect dog taxes. and the need for such
protection arises only when rowdies
from the Second district come up into
the peaceful suburbs.
Mr.. Tesiny couldn't understand why
Bridgeport should always seek to
model her actions upon those of other
cities. He believed that Bridgeport
should be the standard for other cit