The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-08-06

merged.
 He proposes the removal of the per-
 sonal tax collectors.
 The Board of Contract and Supply
 he desires to see made permanent.
 The Board of Education he consid- CTS too large under the present ar be reduced to eight members, two Of whom should be women and all or whom should be appointed by the mayor. Z.
 He also seeks to have the charter changed so that the mayor can exer- else the recall on members of boards appointed by the mayor.
 It is also desired that the mayor as
 ex- off1cio member of the various boards
 of the city government, be given the
 right to vote on matters which come
 before said boards, thus giving him power to, break tie.
 More permanent paving, the same 10 be paid for with serial notes, is advo- cated.
 The proposition of securing tempo rary loans by the Board of Apportion- ment, oIf short time notes, is another proposed charter change.
 In addition to all this, Mayor wilson wants to have special election on September A. so that the voters can pass upon the issuance of $2,155,OOO
 bonds for various projected improve mentS. r. In his message there is recom-- mendatien that all of the proposed changes be submitted to the voters of the city at special election for their approval or rejection. In connection with this the message makes the promise that only the changes ap- proved by the public shall be pressed before the legislature, Those disap- vxJiy1 a1~Or nI1fsF E The message was submitted at one ISof the busiest meetings of the council held this. year The. council chamber was crowded with citizens who were present out of interest in other maj ters which came before the council.
 The message was unexpected. The mayor did not turn 1t over to the city clerk to have. it read, He pulled the document from his coat pocket and read it himself.i$
 1 After the message had been put be- fore the council the mayor asked that there be an adjourned meeting. Aug. 1S so that the committee to which the communication was finally referred, may report and the council may act upon it.
 Upon motion of Alderman William
 E Primrose it was voted to accept the communication and adopt the resolu, tion which calls for the adjourned meeting of the council Aug. af9, in the meantime allowing the Miscellaneous Committee to consider the matter and report back on it. Here is the mayors message, Whlcn. is.regarded as the most striking mat mat fer which has come from him since he assumed office:
 ! gro the Honorable Common Coun- cil of the City of Bridgeport Gentlemen: ltsS ftS
 ssWhen I took the office of mayor I promised that my administrator would be a business one which would work to the good of the whole citizen ship of the city without favor to ln- dfviduals The nine months which have been in office have been devoted to this end and fell that very sub- ,stantial start has been made. Many weaknesses have been corrected by or dinance.s There are, however, other changes which have been suggested by
 the work examination and special in
 vestigation of the various departments
 of our city during the aforesaid time,
 which can only be rectif1ed by charter changes.
 Our city charter has been amended many times in, the past and almost al- ways at the whiln of 9 small coterle
 of 0tizens without first ascertaining the desire of the citizens at large.
 cedure. . The wishes and desires of our citizens should first be obtained
 and then their expressed desires car- ried out.
 .'The bonding of our city, and the
 projects for which the proceeds are to
 be used. should first be submitted to
 the people for their approval or dis
 approval, before asking the legisla-
 ture to authorize the issue of such
 bonds. This would mean a consider
 able saving to the city by deferring
 the cost of designs, plans and speci-
 e R@~ -&-
 until such time as it has been definite ly and positively decided that these
 projects are desired. The experience
 of our city in the past will readily
 show the advisability of this proceed
 ure.
 T would therefore respectfully ask that your honorable body authorize the mayor to call a special election for the purpose, of considering the several projects which have been suggested. I shall present these matters to you in this communication in outline only, without any argument for or against them, believing, as I have said be- fore, that we should have the express sion of the voters as to their desires.
 T will first submit the proposed charter changes which are as follows:
 "G.) It has been suggested that there should be- but one taxable dis trict in this city, and that our present charter provisions dividing the city into two taxable districts should be | repealed. This will entail a little greater tax on the present First Dis- l trict only, property owners, but it will l also give them fire and police protec- ton, sewer and street improvements as well as other things now enjoyed by the Second district. Taxes on this 1 First District only property could and should be equalized by proper | valuations.
 "(2). The regularly elected tax collector should collect the personal | tax which is now being collected by | three men at a large expense to the 1 city. The law should be changed so as to authorize the mayor to remove l the present incumbents of this office 1 at consequent saving to the city.
 "(3.) The board of contract and 1 supply has Justified it's creation. If it | existed by virtue of charter provision instead of ordinance, it would have fuller powers and become one of our l permanent departments.
 "(4.) The board of education con- l sists of 12 members. Their election | to office is, under present conditions. | purely a confirmation of political | manipulation and nce-building at l party caucuses, primaries and con ventions, hence they are responsible 1 to no one. Eight members of this | board could do the work equally as well as 12 If two of the eight mem | bers were women, and all were ap- pointed by the mayor, the results | would be more satisfactory and the | responsibility of the board would be | fixed definite.