Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-23
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

lLEl lEkS 10 HE EDITOR
 Gas and Electrical Departments Fi.
 nanciaI Condition.
 MT. Editor: I attended some weeks ago a very interesting meeting of the
 Norwich society in New York. There
 were about forty present.
 Mayor Brown of Norwich, addressed
 the meeting and made a very interest ing but startling speech. under stood him to say among other things, that when the present administration
 came into power the balance sheet of the Norwich Gas and Electric com pany showed a balance of 99 cents to it's credit but after a full investiga- tion had been made by expert ac- lcountants, a deficit of over $80 was Indicated. I also understood him to say that appropriation made for the
 business year in which he and his colleagues took office had been eaten
 into by the preceding officials, and
 that the situation was a grave one for
 Norwich. He made definite statement
 that these conditions would cause an
 increase in taxation, and the natter
 was so important that he would be
 forced to bring the facts before the
 citizens of Norwich.
 | I have noticed nothing in the papers
 about this matter, nor have I heard
 anything regarding the subject from
 any of my Norwich friends.
 Certainly a matter of such vital
 importance to the tax payers must
 know about this and kindly send me
 copies of "The Bulletin giving de- tails.
 Mayor Brown made a very pleasing , appearance, and his hearers were greatly interested in his reforms for l I1 1Jriva of fozy ITa explained in detail that much had been saved by the city through the } elimination of unnecessary expense in the use of telephones by city offaals, and his policy of better sidewalks for
 all Norwich. As matter os fact,
 when Charles A Terry, presiding of- ficer of the meeting and one of the of- ! fcials of the' Westinghouse Electric company, suggested that Mayor Brown might be a candidate for governor of the state, there was considerable ap- plause.
 Wishing you the compliments Of the
 season, I am
 l Very truly yours J. A. SOMERS. New York, Dec. 20. 1916. Upon inquiry being made of Mayor
 Brown relative to this statement con- corning the Gas and Electrical de- 7 partment's condition, the following  l wich society in New York was given. } Ed.
 , What Mayor Brown Said. l MT. Editor: Referring to the letter : from Dr. James A. Somers to your . self under the date of December 20, : 1916, will you kindly permit me to 5 state exactly what I did say at the November meeting of the Norwich so- ) ciety in New York city with regard to l the financial condition of the City of , Norwich and it's Gas and Electric de- partrnent at the time when the prenent : administration took office on June 9th ; last
 , At that time made the statement } there and in view of the gentleman's 7 letter believe it proper to reaf1rm it through your columns here at this
 time, that while presumably the ap- propriation for the Gas and Electric : department for the year ending April r 30, 1917. recommended by the court of } common council to, and voted by the annual city meeting last June, was , based upon the departments balance
 sheet for the year ending April 30
 1916. which showed a balance on hand
 of 99 cents, as matter of fact the re- / port of Auditor Martin B. Jensen re- , ceived by the present court of com
 months ago disclosed that the Gas and Electric department closed it's year with something above s36.0oo ir unpaid bills outstanding. I called at- , tention to the further fact that when the present administration took office
 on June 9th. 1918, some s45.000 had al- , ready been expended by the retiring administration during the period which intervened between May IS. 1916, and , of the city's fiscal year, and said June 9th.
 then drew the conclusion that inas- i much as the city's budget for the year : aside from authorized temporary loans : which amount appearing on both sides t7of the account, is immateria1 in this
 connection, is but slightly over $500, 00C if the estimates were made up ofn the II basis of an existing bona fide 99 cents balance in the Gas and Electric de-
 partment, taking into consideration
 the further facts that s45, 900 had been , spent during the twenty days elapsing 5 before the present administration took , office, it was evident that there Is like ly to be a shortage at the end of the present fiscal year equal to approxi- } mately the difference between SS1, ,o0O , and whatever would be a reasonable , proportional part of the budget ex- , lpense for said twenty day period. This as I stated, is a condition which will r undoubtedly have to be dealt with by : the taxpayers within the next few 5 months, and at the proper time will be 7 laid before them for their eonsidera- ton.
 Trusting that this correct statement l of what I said at the time in question may do away with any mfsapprehen-