New Britain herald., 1915-03-24
MAYOR QU|c[EY HINTS
 AT NEXT ELECTION
Official, He Says, is Bound to
 ReC0Qnlz6 Political StIeng h.

must take precedence over govern ment efficiency in cases where an o1- ficial wishes to insure his reelection was made by Mayor George A. Qulg- ley last night at the meeting Of the Comm o1lwealtn club at the Gfa1nnlar school hall
 An official upon election, he sa1d' ''is immediately embarrassed by ap- plicants for office who 1n nlne out oI ten cases have no training, or even fitness, for the position for which they apply, but they have certain pollt- ical strength that the official is bound to recognize or make a political en- emv who is dangerous in times of need. which is the next election. Mayor Quigley considered the prob- 1ems of politics in city government, the indifference of the public to city affairs. equitable taxation, the ma1n- tenance of the health of the city's inhabitants, the fire hazards and the planting of trees.
 The mayor said that certain condi- tions in New Brtains tenement dis tricts are the beginnings of slum district. The good work of sanitation in the factories is undone in the homes of workmen, and he believed the manufacturers would be greatly ben etitted financially by interesting them selves in the homes of their employees because they would be rewarded by greater efficiancy.
 Criticizes Club.
 A suggestion that the Common wealth club take up the planting of shade trees in the city was made by the speaker. Seven hundred of the finest trees in the city have been cut down in the last few years to make room for improvements. why doesn't your Commonwealth club do 1 something instead of merely listening l to lectures,' he said.
 l Mayor -Quigley continued, in part l as follows: You have the official who wants an increase of salary every time the wind 1 blows. You would be- surprised at l the amount of work he does and, II 1 his friends hadn't elected him to tne ] o ce, he would resign immediately. 1 In fact, he is one of those chaps who never look for office, yet is always seeking and is always in the hands ! of his friends and on the hands or l every official l This type is offset by the official ] - work conscientiously, quietly and eff l ficiently and who gets kicked out ot l office because he hasn't played pol1- 1 tics in order to stand in right Wllh 'ile 1 ones higher up.
 1 IT is a. difficult matter to interest the average citizen in city problems as his very indifference creates 1 great problem in itself
 1 Today a well known citizen re- | preached me for the issuance or the l bonds for the pre-vocational school 1 I asked why he didn't vote against the 1 building of the school, he wanted te know how I knew he had not voted against it. ,, l told him there were possibly hall 1 q dozen persons present when the ] city meeting was held to vote upof l this matter and he was not one o'
 those present.
 He finally admitted that he hat 1 never attended a city meeting.
 The only answer to make to a mar l like that is, stop kicking ana se' 1 onto your job as a citizen Problem of Taxation.
 The problem of equitable taxation is a problem of problems. FeV 1 people like tax increases yet al
 reople like and demand good schools 1 pure water, proper sewer systems
 fine streets and good government Il
 general. These all cost money an'
 must be paid for by the taxpayer ant
 you cannot have them unless you arr willing to pay.
 This city could spend s1,200,00O thi
 year and then need more. All worl
 cannot be done at once, to do S l ol,; ;I>;! toxy fc : Kew Britain has grown rapidly dur
 ing the past few years, real estat
 values changed materially, yet we fin that some of the persons most bene fitted by New Britains growth ar , least willing to shoulder their prope share of the expense.
 Erect a school near vacant land, i'm
 mediately the value of the land is n
 creased, macao damize a street, value 1 increase build a sewer through in : 1 street. the values of property in
 crease far in excess of thecost of tn 1 sewer assessment
 All these improvements bring peopi ! 10 the city it is a desirable place t
 live in. the more people the m or
 business for the merchant and tn
 value of his property increases. The trouble in New Britain in m 1 mind is that the grand l1st Qf the GU . l has not kept pace with the Increase
 value which means that the incom has not increased in proportion to tn . demands of the growth of the cit, , There must be a readjustment of ou :: assessment or large increase i'll tn tax rate.
 Transportation Needed.
 One of the greatest problems con a fronting the city is the health of it
 inhabitants. Here We have maJorlt of the problems in one, the play
 grounds, sewage disposal plants, pur