The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-30

 have been expended for street paving, no portion of which has been assessed on abutting property. Under the old method, about one-haIf of this sum, pr $75O, 100000 would be specially as- sessed on abutting property and con- sequently general taxes would be pro- portionately reduced, as result of such special assessment on property benefited.
 1 know that it has been generally held by property owners that they should not be thus specially assessed, for pavements, because the benefits were general, rather than special, as they viewed it.
 (2) Street Sprtnkling.
 This is another instance.
 Until last year. the cost of such sprinkling was also assessed against abutting property on the streets sprinkled, at the rate of six cents per front foot, on streets free from street railway tracks, and four cents per front foot on all other streets sprinkled.
 Now the entire cost of street sprinkling, on all streets sprinkled is defrayed from the proceeds of general taxes, and property owners are re- for.
 There are some other instances, tending to increase general taxation, but they are of minor importance, when compared with the foregoing.
 Street Extensions and Widenings.
 Considerable has. been done, during the past year. towards relieving traffic congestion in the central portions of the City.
 The widening and paving of Water street, from Gilbert street to Fairfield avenue are decided improvements as they will tend to divert traffic from Main street, more especially heavy traffic, which is slow and cumbersome The extension of John street, from West to Park avenue, and the widen ing of said street from Broad to Main street, will also tend to relieve con- tion on Fairfield avenue and Main street, as a portion of the traffic from the west will come down John street to Main street, thence to Wall anC Water streets, and thus avoid the congestion and delay incident thereto at Main street and Fairfield avenue Of course, it would be much better, ii it were feasible, to avoid the turn into Main at John, by extending Johr street from Main to Water street. 4 great deal yet remains to be done, fl the direction of traffic congestion re lief, which will entail great expense and this can be met only by bond is sues, for which allowance is made il my recommendations to you. W, must meet those important issues anC solve them to the best of our ability l-and the sooner it is done the bette and the less the expense-for delay il work of this character means, Withou doubt, increased expense for propert, damages.
 Sewers.
 The Sewer Committee requests al appropriation of over 1000, 100000 fo various projects of the year. As ther
 is still a large sum of money avail able from recent bond issues, and
 still larger sum which can be mad , available when required, from nev
 bond issues, for sewer purposes, ca
 see no necessity for providing an
 funds for such uses, this coming veal from the avails of taxes, and, there
 fore eliminate the entire requisition. Police Department. :, The fifty new patrolmen asked fo t by the Police Commissioners I reduc ) to thirty in my recommendations t you, and provide for the latter nun l Der only. The fifteen new men at l thorized last year were not then al - pointed and the increase now recon
 mended means an addition of fiftee
 new men, each year, for two years.
 Fire Department. . The two-platoon system havir . been authorized by ordinance, I co1 . si6er it my duty to provide for i d The first years additional cost of tn I new system will be $7O,9OO.OO ar n the cost will reach it's maximum e $81, ,300.00 on the third year. n During the next year the depar f ment will be entirely motorized ar n with the two-platoon system in fore - we can reasonably expect eve Q greater efficiency than before, a
 though our city fire department no
 ranks high in this respect, as show
 by the underwriters and fire ma > shaPs reports. It is my candid b le lief that the fire insurance compa 5, ies are not giving Bridgeport fl 'O credit and allowance, in their insu
 ance rates on property, for its eff p cient fire fighting force, and for u le large sums of money expended by t D. city to bring it to its present hi, o- standard and to maintain it there. l. We ought to have, in my judgmel e. lower fire insurance rates on pro le erty as a result of our vigilance a. sn efficiency in preventing and fighti Tt fires.
 d. State Tax.
 lg Pursuant to authority vested in t e. Common Council by Special Act nt the General Assembly of 1917, a nc
 was given in November last for t
 amount of the State Tax then d he and payable, to wit, $19751451. es. The redemption of this note is pl
 vided. for in my recommendation he you, to be paid in Apriu next, frt a- the proceeds of next years taxes. ed is much better and more busine a like, in my judgment to provide ca ,le year for the payment of the St; oh Tax, in this manner. rather than his set saide such a large sum of mo1
 in each February budget, and have 1,a drawing interest at the nominal r slv of two per cent until the follow -, November, more especially as we q; i1o not know, at the time the budget he made, what the amount of the St t1, Tax will be on the next succeed
 November.
 .a Daht SeV-viCn