Norwich bulletin., 1915-05-25
Of II mills on the grand list which is

of II mills on the grand list, which is
$13, 329.2S4.
| There are other items which total
| $52, 900 which will be included in the
| call for the meeting but are in addi-
/ ton to the items which the committee
| recommends.
| The committees report and recon-
! mendations are shown in the advertise
| ment on Page Ten of this issue of The
| Bulletin.
| Last year the city tax recommended
| was 10 mills but it was raised by the
annual city meeting to Ii mills.
Mayor Murphy Explains.
| Mayor Murphy addressed the council
| as follows in further explanation of
| the reports of the finance committee:
It was hoped by the finance commit
| tee that 1t could announce to the court
| of common council that the ordinary
| expenses of the city for the current
| fiscal year could be covered by a ten
| mill tax; but after examining the re-
| quirenents Of each department of the
city with the greatest care and con-
| sidering every item of expense as es-
| timated by such department, it ap-
pears that tax of eleven mills will
| be necessary.
Last year a ten mill tax was rec
commended by the committee, two
years ago an eleven mill tax was rec
a
mill tax, which indicates that the tax
| rate must depend on conditions as
they rise and vary from time to
time.
A year ago, from the information
supplied by the gas and electrical de-
paFtment, its gross receipts for the
year were estimated at $225, 000 The
prospect at the time seemed to justi-
fly fully that estimate; but during the
year the demand for gas and electri-
city fell off to quite an extent at the
TherTnos factory, the United Finish
ing Companys plant and the plants
OF some other concerns which have
generally used very large quantities
Of one or both of these products, so
that the gross receipts for the year
from the gas and electric department
were only $193, 61091, which was $751;
$1,000 short Of the estimated income,
although the receipts were actually
about $4,000 above all expense of the
plant, including general interest and
interest on the 100000, mortgage
bonds. From the Thermos factory
alone there was at times only
monthly income to the department of
something less than two hundred dol
lars instead of a former monthly in
come Of 500, $500. and up to $1,000.
Notwithstanding this Sinking In its
receipts, there was deposited in the
bank for the depreciation fund of the
gas and electric department SIS, 100,
and for its sinking fund $1S,338.48, as
ordered by the annual city meeting a
year ago, total of $50, 43S.4S, or about
SIS, 900 more than the net income of
the department But these large cash
deposits and the falling off in re-
ceipts of that department as esti-
mated, left the city treasury short of
the funds required to pay off TWEEN
ty thousand dollars Of the temporary
loan Of the year, which could and
would have been paid If the gas and
electrical receipts were as large as
were promised by this council for &C
ton by the city meeting.
On account of this condition, for
which in fact the gas and electrical
department was responsible, 1t Is now
proposed by the finance committee to
use this same department in paying
back the temporary loan, the plan be-
ing to make no provision for adding to
the gas and electric depreciation fund
this year but instead of that to wipe
out the $4,000 Indebtedness; and this
arrangement Is made in the estimates
AS there has been a very great i'm
provement in business in the gas and
electric department during the last
three months, which promises to con-
tinue and even to become very no
table as the year goes on, it Is reason
ably certain that that department will
NOT again be forced to cause the I'M
usual conditions which have just been
described
The council will Also bear in mind
that in present times provision must
be made for higher wages in every
city department than were paid only
a few years ago. The fremen, the po-
lice and laborers in every kind of city
work are receiving more pay than
formerly, while it may be pointed out
particularly that to pay the interest
! on the $4,000 bonds issued because
of the cityis new reservoir at Stony
Brook. the sum of $13,6O0 must be
raised each year, which is a little
more than is produced by one mill
tax.
finance con,-,9t stA1ss report was