The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-19
COOPER FOR ONE
 TAXABLE DISTRICT President of Board of Apportion- ment Asks Some Pertinent
 Question ' Facts and Figures Enumerated to Sustain Position Which
 MT. Cooper Holds

l To the Eidtor of The Farmer, Sir: Do folks get all they pay for, or do | they get more than they pay for and a. big share of what other folks pay for?
 In the answer to this question is to be found the only right answer to the question as to whether or not the city of Bridgeport should be made one tax able district It is a question that the opponents of consolidation have care fully ignored But it is a question that deserves careful consideration by the whole number of people in the city, taxpayers especially.
 To understand the matter c1ea r1y, one tnuet rem enber that prop owners in the Second district pay taxes in both the First and the Second dis tr1ct and owners of property within it's lines are supposed to enjoy the ken. ef1ts of both districts. People oWnirg g property in the First district only ray takes for the First district only 4nd properly, should receive benefits anly in proportion to what they pay
 Instead of this, taxpayers in the Der cent of the First district tax and have received from the city many more dollars than they have paid to- wards it's support The law is an odd thing. It compeIs property owners in the Second districts to pay 96 per cent. of the taxes of the First district but
 
 district only may not be compelled to pay one penny towards the expenses of the Second district.
 Such a condition is unfair And the only way to Change it seems to be to consolidate the two-districts. Such a eonsoli dation would be fair to all the taxpayers and would work injustice to none.
 Let us see what the taxpayers in the First district only have received for their taxes and for convenience sake @ a 1a Ta- sented to the Board of AQportionnlent when this matter was thoroughly dis cuesed by that board.
 Tn 1910, the First district only tax payers were scalled on to pay $29, ,055- -92 Tn 1911 (6sca1 yeaT0 in the First dis trict only received the following Education 946 children at
 SPA Der capita, $22, ,7o4 TeSiny avenue school 25, ,294 Road repairs and bridges $500 Street grading 1900 Fire department service $50 Lights 5,1f9 $29,ee0 the F'iTst district only was given over s63s00o for these six items alone. But beside them, them, there are some % ed man argue that such procedure is fair
 This showing is not exceptional It ton has prevailed and Second district taxpayers have been giving to the First. district taxpayers a. lot of money that should have been spent in the Second district only, if the city affairs had been conducted with any degree of fairness.
 The taxpayers of the First district only do not pay a cent for fire pro- tectdon but they have prompt pro- lection by the chemical apparatus and limits of the First district and 20 practically on the line. The Black Rock school in the First district cost Sh<.~ non that cost between ss5.ooo and s75.ooo in the First district, and the city attorney says no assessm ent can be legally collected for them.
 Tn 1910 end 1911 alone the care of Fairfield avenue outside the Second district cost s5, 300. For Madison ave. spent s2.oOo- And maoadamizing and grading on Main street from the Second district line to TrumbeH cost the city between s50.e0o and $60000s while top of this in 1910 and 1911 there was an- added charge for top dressing and oil of S1, 400.
 The whole matter resolves itself in- to a question of fair play. Is it fair that part of the city should enjoy benefits at the expense of the other part? Is it fair that taxpay yers of one section should profit at the expense of the remainder of the taxpayers?
 Men who think that folks should pay for what they get and get only what they pay for, men who believe in genuine fair play, will vote in fa- vor of consolidating the two districts
 It has been claimed that First dis trict only taxpayers will pay for things they do not get: that they will be taxed for lights and sewers and paving that will not benefit them. The balance between the two districts can be preserved. For taxable pur- poses, the assessors can take note of this fact in making up their lists and l1nimproved property can be listed at such a, rate that it will only bear it's just share of the taxes
 A man from Mars, who had no in terest in the matter, would however be inclined to think, I imagine, that even if the present First district only taxpayers were brought into the same class as the Second district and com pelled to pay taxes on exactly the same basis as the Second district pro perty owners that it would be good many years before they actually paid for all the things they have been get ting without a, cent of charge during all the years that have elapsed since the town and cit were consolidated and .he two districts were established- 1
 A. NJ. COOPER
 HOMES MUST PAY.