Norwich bulletin., 1915-03-26
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Consolidation or Division

MT. Editor: It seems to me that the people who are anxious to divide the town may be divided into two general ! classes: those who are enjoying city
 privileges without paying for them; 1 they know they should be bearing their share and are afraid that they may at
 any time be required to do so; then
 there are those who do not directly share in city privileges but have been made to believe that an effort may any
 that which they do not receive. Both, believe, by seeking to divide the
 town, are putting all of us at much
 unnecessary expense and retarding our
 natural development.
 Personally, I believe 1t would be a gain to all to consolidate town and city. We would have fewer salaries to pay. But taxes should be apportioned according to benefits received. Thus there should be three or more zones with varying tax rates.
 The great advantages of city life are | water systems, gas and electric light, fire and police protection, sewerage and better streets. These all cost money
 but enhance the value of property and | make life more worth living.
 The main streets between the city l and Yantic and the village of Taftville are or are fast becoming lined with houses, and are needing and are going to need more and more as time passes N~-OSO 1t cheaper to become part owners in the institutions which have become established by the city than to eStab- lisn such for themselves.
 As a matter of fact, much of these
 privileges have been urged by and ex- tended to outsiders. Thus lights have | been extended to the property of the Ponemah company towards Taftville | and to Yantic on the west. Fifty two street lights are established between fIn oil 4@v, 14r-l-4 between the city line and the village of Taftville, and petitions for many oth- | CTS have been presented to town meet | ings. These sixtytwo lights cost the l town 1892 per year. The people where they are placed pay practically nothing
 Of this. the city paying over three quarters of the tax, and the rest of the whole town the balance.
 Again. water. mains have been ex- tended from the city line to the prop vile and from the city line to Avery's
 at Bean Hill. This gives these people water and city rates of fire insurance
 They should have fire protection and should expect to help pay for the SUD- port of the city fire department. In the last ten years the city fire department has answered to fifty three calls outside the city limits. Thirty seven of these calls have been from the direction of Yantic. twice to the Glen Woolen nlll, once eacn rom Rorter' | and Avery Brothers and a school building worth eight to ten thousand dollars in Norwich Town was saved These very needs should be enough 1 to show that the people of these dis tricts should not separate from the ] town of Norwich, but seek to become
 more closely associated with the city l of Norwich, which has established the institutions which they are needing more and more every day.
 Could the people of Yantic, Bean Hill and Norwich Town get these advan- | tages from Taftville? This village
 cannot supply itself with these things
 in quantity and quality and have re- | fused them to outsiders.
 1 Yours for the commonwealth,
 | ALBERT BOARDMAN. Norwich, March 25. 1915.