The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-19
Editor Farmer. Sir:

ed by the citizens of Bridgeport, practically covered my opinion up- on the Herring. Sewer System. As : you request me to add further sug- gestions pertinent to. tflae subject, upon the feasibility of issuing bonds for twelve hundred thous- and dollars for two pumping stas- tions, it seems hardly right to re- fuse your request. Amy observing citizen cain see at a. glance this proposed bond issue is the forerun- ner of an unwarranted outloy placed upon the shoulders of the taxpayers, and it is also the most Wasteful and uncalled for exfrav- gance ever conceived Of before in injuring the present good credit of 2 our city.
 If the taxpayers of the city and town of Bridgeport should vote the issuance of &, 1855 ,00O worth of bonds at the present time, and these bonds should be made pay able during the next 30 years, 1t would mean an annual payment of $z1 ,833, on the principal every year for thirty years during the term of the bond.
 Interest at four per cont. on $2,- 155,O0O worth of bonds would mean $86. 200 interest the first year, gradually reduced leach year thereafter.
 The maintenance and annual ex- pense of running the two propos- ed pumping stations, would not be less than SIC, 900 each year. Now add the payment on the principal the interest on the bonds, and the annual expense of the pumping stations together. It6 will make $2S8, 900.
 The grand list of the city of Bridgeport amounts to $97,OOO,- 900 and 1-3 mill tax on ST. OOO,0OO amounts to $226,O0O am nually.
 0rr- taxpaxers and citizens can easily see from the above figures that eacf4 year we must practically pay 1-3 mills extra tax over and above our present tax. This is positive proof that a regular fif- teen mill tax as proposed by the Mayor is Insufficient and therefore imTracticable.
 If our taxpayers and citizens in- stead of paying this enormous amount of money on the princi- pal, interest and maintenance of pumping stations each year for the next 80 years, would appropriate this SPAS, ,OOO or 2 f-3 mill tax each year, for public improve ments, and spread the same over a period of so years, it would az 900 for public improvements, which would cover all necessary demands that could be reasonably made upon the taxpayers during that time, without the issuance of one dollar of bonded indebtedness.
 This $228, ,OOO raised from 1-3 mill tax each year, would give to the park commissioners at least $50, ,0OO each year, until all extra improvements they desired to make were completed.
 It would give $10O, 900 each year additional for new schools.
 It would give $50. .O0O i'm two yearly appropriations of $25, 900 each for building 8 dormitory at the aImshouse for sleeping pur- poses.
 It would add $25.OOO a year for continuing our old fashioned way of doing things, by readopting and extending the present partially laid ScofieId trunk sewer system as originally intended and planned.
 It would add $25.OOO to the street department. and after the extra appropriation for the park and dormitory at the 5alInshouse were paid for, there would be ann bIe additional funds. applicable for making our streets much more passabIe.
 All of the above suggestions can be easily accomplished, as the above figures show, without issu- ing dollar of bonds, and at the end of the thirty years, by multi amount to $6, ,s40, ,OOO, making aI- most $7,OOO,OOO worth of inn provements received in direct ben eft by our city, instead of issuing S2 900 900 worth of bonds at the present time and paying for the same SC, ,S4O,O 1000 at the finish of the final payment of the proposed is- sue, a difference of five million dollars clear profit gained on the same taxable basis of 2 1-3 mills extra tax as now planned, for the aoceptance by our taxpayers un- der the proposed $2, ,OOO bond ing issue.
 Those citizens who have fanil-, iarized themselves with the Sew CT question know that Mfr. Her. ing stated that the first outlay to be incurred under his proposed sewer system would amount to $3,- 900, ,OO0 which amount would be added to from time to time, making total expenditure for his finally sewer system of some $5, 900, ,OO0.
 The present bonding of $1,2OO,- OO0 calls for only two pumping stations. His original plan calls for two extra pumping stations, one located at Ash Creek and an- other at Berkshire Pond. The two pumping stations now proposed to be built are only a part of his original plan.
 When his original plan is fin- isned, anyone can easily figure and that other large bond issues will have to be called for and issued for the other two