The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-24

the following arguments against the schemes of the administration to sad dle an enormous bonded debt upon the home owners of Bridgeport. Every taxpayer, and this includes every man who pays rent for his home. should see to it that he is registered in the vote which is being cast today. The polls opened at noon today and will remain open until g o'clock tonight. Seek out the polling place in your dis trict and do not fail to register your vote. It is 9 mysterious election, to be sure, and probably illegal, but nevertheless the duty of the elector is plain Back of the bonding schemes are the big public service corpora tions- If you are opposed to the schemes take your lead pencil and make a mark through the word YES and then you will have voted .fNO''.
 The following are the arguments against the various propositions as compiled by taxpayers:
 Let us. at the outset, toke brief glance at the proposed charter changes. as set forth in the very artis- tical1y gotten-up pamphlet disseminat- ed broadcast by the Mayor.
 First-The powers of the Mayors of flee are to be extended, making him a voting member of the various city boards through which city expendit- ures are made and giving to him the power to remove and appoint at will the individual members thereof
 Second-One of these. the Board of Apportionment, is to be granted power to issue Time Notes and also Serial Notes,t with no limit stated as to the amount of the same. This is, may hap, to supply funds for the Municipal Improvements, which are to be ex- tended over the outlying district, which is, at the same time, to be taken into the city proper.
 Then follow the large bonding pro- jects, totalling g, 155, 900. These sums are in addition to the $1. 800, 900 of an nuaI taxation.
 The amendments give. as even the casual reader may see. a practically oHe-man power. controlling expendit- ures to an amount never before ap- proxinnated lns the. city's history. Would not such a situation seem ripe for Graft of the rankest sort Of course, we are all honest now, but the sooner or later finds the man. A local Boss Tweed might arise.
 FIRST AND SECOND DISTRICTS.
 The district problem is misstated by the Mayor A correst statement, on it's merits, would be as follows:
 Shall the property of the outlying district be taxed for Municipal Inl- which do not exist. and are not. at present. called for?
 The Mayors specious Justification of the action proposed, on the ground that a street or streets located in this district are already supplied wfth city improvements, is, certainly, a lame excuse for such an act of injustice. The simple remedy for such case is obvious Such street or streets should be taken into the Second district where it properly belongs.
 If. on the other hand, any broad extension of Municipal Improvements this district, in justifica- ton of such action, is planned, the re- suit would be in added burdens, to the Second district taxpayer, as well. The city of Elizabeth, N. J., was bankrupted, in its earlier history in this manner The city of Brooklyn, N. Y., at one time ran out graded streets. sewers and asphalt for miles into it's suburbs, with result of high taxation to the city. and a big list of foreclosure liens to the property holders, requiring special act of the Legislature in their behalf.
 The way of the square deal in this matter is plainly this: Wherever city are petitioned for by a majority of the residents and property owners, on a given layout, the city shall supply the improvements called
 
 such section to the Second district. A charter amendme ent, from the Legis1a- ture, granting to the city power, at any time. so to act, under these con is something which should command the support of all parties and is really needed
 Vote No. on the District Amend nent-
 Extension of Mayors Powers
 You can safely vote No on this en- tire bunch.
 De Time Loans and Serial Notes
 This measure confers on a city board power to issue both short Time and Serial Notes, practically to what ever an amount they may see fit.
 Vote No.
 The Sewer Proposition $1,2OO,0O.
 Are you in favor of expending $1.- 100000, as an initial outlay, for the of our entire present sew CT system, under which we have at tained to one of the lowest death rates per thousand in the country. and therefor, at an enormous a comparatively unsanitary system of sewage disposal. involving a continuous uptear of the city streets, through a series of years, and at the same time, rendering the city liable for damages to the Shell Fish indus try to an amount estimated at several millions of dollars?
 If you are not. Vote No.
 The East Washington Avenue Bridge.
 $13O,OOO.
 This bridge has only been built for a few years; is ample for the city's