The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-19

| and there are about one thousand va l cant sittfnSs, each day, based on the l number of children in actual average l attendance. This vacant space is | equal to the capacity of two ten-room school buildings and it would appear ! to the unbiased observer that while such conditions exist. there ds not the urgent need for so many new school l there is.
 Tn my report to you of two years ago stated that, in my Judgment, the time was c-ose at hand when we could safely reduce, without detriment to the schools, the amount appropriat ed for new schools from the proceeds of the usual one-mill tax to a lesser sum.
 ''In my opinion. that time consider ing the greatly augmented grand list of this year. is now here. The under standing between the Board of App portionment and Taxation and the Board of Education many years ago. when our grand list was small. to levy a tax of one-min on each dol lar of the grand list. each year. for new schools. should have no binding force or effect only as long as the ac- tual needs of the schools required such one-mnl tax.
 "The rapid increase of the grand list may enable us to dispense with a portion of this rate for new school buildings at this time. It seems to me that. without detriment to our public schools can reduce the amount of the appropriation from the sss.1OO asked for to $7s,OOO And as there was available from the present 1912. the sum of ss7.5oO which sum added to the $73.00O recommended by me. makes available for new schools the sum of $1I0.50o
 When the new high school build ing is erected, for which a bond issue of S400 900 is now availaFsle. awaiting action by the Board of Education, the present high school building can be used for ~ramn1ar school and will he welcome addition for that pur- pose and tend to relieve the conges- tion in other directions
 Street Pavements
 For new street pavements there hes been expended the sum of s115.O00 during the past year From the t41orized we have realized $100,O0O. and from money in the treasury at the commencement of the year, an addi- tional sum of SIT. .2S3. .O6.|
 This leaves a small shortage which, of course, has been made up from col lections of assessments for pavements collections from this latter source will realize the sum of about s45-000. dur ing the next fiscal year. I provide, in my recommendations to you. an ad- dItional sum of $SO,OOO which will make available for new agreements next season. the sum of $75,00o.
 Sewer Construction
 During the past year. there has been e4pS4OSQ TOT sewers lne OA $43 S10.82 to January 1, 1912, and there was an overdraft at the commence ment of the year. amounting to $1o,- SS1-39 making the total expenditure $54. .6e2.21-
 The money available is 0.6OS- -56. This amount with the addition of such. sums as will be collected from assessments levied for. completed work ought to realize money enough to en- able us to construct all necessary sewers, during the next fiscal year. without any special appropriation, and therefore none is recommended by me.
 Tax. Rate Recommendation
 ''In recommending a tax rate I do so believing that the rate I recom- mend is ample and sufficient for car an efficient manner. It would be an excellent thing as suggested by May or Wilson. if there could be some req sonable assurance of certainty and uniformity in the tax rate, and that ther should be no material variation from year to year.
 'aThe suggestion of the Mayor that entf time, say only the avails of a fourteen mill tax. for the actual needs of the departments, leaving in reserve, in an emergency or contin- gent fund, for future appropriation to the departments, if in your judgment, | mainder of the tax that you may | levy. over and above said fourteen l mills, is practical and meritorious | and deserves your earnest considera- | ton.
 T recommend that such a course be pursued, provided the City Attor- ney advises that it is legal"