The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-02-07
NO AUDIENCE AT
APP0RTI0NMENT
BOARD Meeting
Citizens Show Lack of In
terest in Formerly Pow
erful Tribunal.

tween $4,000 and $4,000 per year,
doesn't he?" queried former Mayor
Frank E. Clark of Judge Frederic A.
Bartlett last evening. The board or
apportionment and taxation was hold
ing in the common council chamber
its first meeting this year to consider
the appropriations asked for by the
various city departments.
The city court requisition had been
taken up and the item Of $1,000 for
probation officers fees was under dis
cussion. In reply to the former
mayors question, Judge Bartlett said
he did not believe the probation Of
hcer received anything like the
amount mentioned.
There are two probation officers,
you know" said Judge Bartlett Rev.
Charles w. Simpson and Mrs. Mar
garet T. Burgess. They do good
work and I believe they earn all they
get, $500 each a year.
Commissioner Clark said, however,
that Mr.. Simpson gets 81 per week
for every prisoner probated from the
county Jail and he thought him very
we'll paid. =
Several years ago no meeting of the
board of apportionment was held
without a packed gallery. Many Of
the spectators we're tax payers who
took great interest in whatever was
done by the board and they did not
hesitate to voice their objections to
any proposed increase in appropria-
tons. Realizing that the admins
tration has taken all initiative away
from the board, these citizens were
conspicuous. by their absence. AS
tits now, the tax board is but a group
of bookkeepers for the advisory
board. There was not single spec
tator at the meeting last night. The
only questions were those put to the
various department heads by the
members of the board of apportion-
ment
your city court is money max
ing proposition, isn't it ?" asked Com
missioner Sigmund Loewith of Judge
Bartlett. The latter had told the
board that although the requisition
this year called for $24,68O, an in
crease of more than $1,000 over last
year, he estimated the receipts would
be at least $4,000 for the coming fis-
cal year.
Judge Bartlett said he didn't con-
slider the court from a monetary
standpoint. The judge explained that
the increases in salaries of ell officials
included in the requisition would be
granted by the general assembly. In
stead of a prosecuting attorney and
assistant there will be two prosecutors,
each to receive salary of $4,000. An
officer who will work with the pros
ecutors investigating complaints is
proposed at salary of $1,000. Judge
Bartlett said he did not believe a man
to fill the place could be found for
such salary. The judge asked that
changes in the items of the requisi-
ton be made, liquor prosecuting at
torney's fees from $1,000 to $4,000;
witness fees from $4,000 to $4,000;
printing and stationery from $2,50>
to $4,000.
: The members Of the board present
last night were: William E.. Seeley,
Sigmund Loewith, Frank E. Clark,
Carl r.. Siemon, Frederick D. Keeler,
Max J. Buechler, Harry Hustled and
Frank Anderson.
Frank j. Hughes who appeared for
the assessors had nothing to say about
the proposed changes in that office.
He asked blandly that the $1,000 for
the salaries of four assessors be pro-
vided as usual The appropriation
last year was $4,000 and this year,
s16,752 is asked for. This includes
$40 for IA transfer clerk. John
Bowling, former block map clerk in
the assessors office, quit, his job be-
cause he was compelled to do the
work of the transfer clerk as we'll. 1t
is proposed to increase the salary of
the stenographep from $500 to $1,000
per year. Increases in a number OF
minor item make up the balance.
The building commissioners asked
for s1O,55O this year. They had So
$40 last year The jump is due to
an increase in the pay of the commits
sionrs from SO to 81 for each session
and a slight increase in the pay of the
assistant building inspectors.
Proposed changes in office 'furni-
ture and equipment for the coming
fiscal year will require an approprla-
ton Of $11,921 as against $9,o34 last
year.
The city attorney asked for $500 Tor
legal expenses, the same amount ne
received last year.
Judge Paul L. Miller said the num-
Der and the expense of commitment
Of the pauper insane, inebriates, ana
other dependents is increasing steadlly
and he asked for $500 to meet this IN
crease. He also asked for $500 for
stationery and office supplies.
The town clerk asks this year the
largest proportionate increase OF any
city department Last year the ap-
preparation was $12.2O5.25. This year
the incumbent of the office. wants $lS,-
904. Despite the fact thai business In
his Office is in a chaotic state and rec
ords of realty transfers are far from
up to date, Schultz asked the board
for an increase in salary for each OF
his 10 girl copyists from $500 to $500
per year Last year there were nine
copyists in the office and the number
has been Increased to 13 but still the
work is behind Besides the increase
in the salaries Of the copyists he
wants $4,000 additional for extra
help"
Tax Collector Howard J. Smith told
the board that due to rebates by the
claims committee of the common
council about 100000 in tax assess
ments would come off his books on the
lists of 1916. The collector expects
that of the estimated $3,500,0O0 total
taxes to be collected on the lists OF
1915, far various reasons he would not
be able to collect $175,000 or about hve
per cent He said that a large per-
centage Of the assessment against per-
sonal property never was collected
because those against whom such as