Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-03
THE NORWICH DIVISION PETl.
TON.

From the very absurdity of the
claims and the absence of a real griev
arce the petition for the division of
the town of Norwich was for a. long
time considered as a joke. 1t was
started because Of an unfounded fear
OF consolidation of the town with the
city, which by the way fully recog-
nized the necessity of proper regard
for the outside districts when it came
to the matter Of taxation. The move
for separation has gotten to the point,
however, where it is a danger which
threatens the future growth of Nor
wich and through the practice of talk
ing to the legislature for the action
OF those unacquainted with the facts,
what should be settled in town meet
ing or at q town election. 1t threat
ems every town In the state.
It is, as said by a taxpayer in the
proposed town, whh because of his
position dares not to express himself
&c q hearing, a fact that il the mat
ter of separation was submitted to g.
vote of the people concerned, the d.
vision would be surely voted down. It
therefore needs not only the concerted
resistance of Norwich, but of every
town which could easily be placed in
n similar position.
From the recorded vote of the town
in opposition to the dreaded CONSOLE
dation and from the existing sentiment
against 1t, there is no more reason
to believe or to fear that the town tax
of Norwich will be made unbearable
through the extension Of city lines or
that the town will be made at any time
to bear the city's Indebtedness than
there is to believe that a. city with
first class credit will suddenly go
into bankruptcy.
1t is noteworthy in this connection
that the city of Meriden is pointing
with commendab1e pride to the fact
that new industry with a capita1i-
cation of 100000 is to locate within
its midst Bridgeport, a city Of large
factories, already is fast having add
ed to it another with a capital run
ming into the millions. One of New
<Haven's large plants has been making
additions and another is to- be start
ed soon and all have the confidence
that they can do business under the
prevailing conditions in those cities
There does not exist in any one of
those instances any fear that they
will be unreasonably taxed or that
an advantage will be taken of the fact
that they show signs of prosperity to
AAC1c6Se their as time goes
on They are not building with the
idea that some day they will ask that
their property and such as may ad-
Join be set off as a separate town, but
they might be justified in the belief
that Connecticut sanctions just sukh
move whenever they are ready
to mako it. if the petition which is
now before the general assembly ask
ing for the division of the town of
Norwich should be granted.
In each and every one of those
eases they face at the start a tax
which is far in excess of the town
tax of Norwich. Based upon the lat
est report of the state tax commission
er, though the town tax here is now
\ mill larger and these in the other
places have probably changed, Nor
wich's town tax was ~ 1-2 mills In
Meriden the town tax is IA mills and
Its city tax mills. Bridgeport has
1912 mill tax, while in New Haven
the tax rate is 20 1-2 mills. Thus
Norwich under it's existing town tax
furnishes appreciable advantages in
the way of lower taxation to the cor
poration or to the individual.
Norwich is guarding we'll the inter-
81 ssts of its constituents and in justice
thSreto and until there is a real and
not a fancied cause upon which to
appeal to the legislature, the petition
srs should be given leave to with
araw