New Britain herald., 1919-03-15
EXPECT NEW DRIVE
 0N CITY SALARIES Taxpayers Association Said to Be
 Preparing for Onslaught
HAVE ALREADY TRIED THIS

When First Budget Was Prepared An
 Attempt Was Made to Reduce Ger
 tain SaIarics-Actfcn is Being Con-
 sidercd.
 From reports prevalent around the city it would appear that the long and arduous task of the salary committee, the many and lengthy discussions up on the part of employees and heads of departments concerning salaries may meet with opposition from some of the public. It is reported that the a d. vocates of the T mill tax rate and the members of the Taxpayers asso- ciation are going to delve further in to the affairs of the city and a sort of cleanup campaign is to be waged against officials in City hall. It is the opinion of some members of the Tax payers association that some officials are getting too high salaries
 One of the prominent members of the Taxpayers association has stated that he thinks some officials are re- ceiving more from the city than they really deserve.
 -A'ooAi >Apt\tCS SOon.
 The reports of action have been heard for the past few days and they became stronger since it was learned that the Taxpayers association is to appeal from the report of the board of relief. No open statement has been made by the representa- tives of the 21 mill rate or the association but the pot is expected to boil over soon. 0f arinn cif1 partments in the city government were raised for the coming fiscal year, the new salaries to start on April 1. Thus, if the work of the anti-large salaries supporters is avail ing these increases may be enjoyed but short time.
 Could Not Cut Salaries There is no way to change the sal aries at the present time and that fact 1 was brought home to members of the ] Taxpayers association when they l tried making up a budget. The first 1 budget presented at the city meeting g l by representatives of the associa ton 1 called for a cut in several items of sal aries. This, however, was illegal as 1 the salaries are determined by the 1 council and fixed by ordinance and 1 the budget when again prepared con- l tained the same salaries as the 25 l mill budget. That is the way the l matter stands now and unless chang 1 ed the increased salaries will go into effect on April 1.
 1 It is said that some of the persons l desiring to cut the slaries are consid- ering a petition to be signed by 30 citizen voters and five members of the common council asking that a special Sl
 ordinance and then change the sal aries.
 The first part would be accom- l plished easily but the second half might be harder. The members of the common council voted on all the salary increases and the increases granted were unanimous. The mem l bers fought many wordy battles over 1 the question and when it was finally settled it was approved by all. How ] the members of the Taxpayers asso- 1 citation expect to get five mem bers of the council, after voting the increa ses to sign a petition to have the ordi- nance repealed is unknown. It is pos sible, one said today, that action will be deferred until after election.
 May Make Election Issue.
 It is reported that members of the association and other advocates of 21 mills have said that if they cannot get five members of the present counci ] to sign the petition they will elect five
 members at the April election. That
 fact would evidently liven up the
 April election and there would be nc
 dearth of candidates for offices as
 councilmen and aldermen. But there
 is another fact that might have beer
 overlooked. The opinion of the cor
 poration counsel has not been secured
 on the question, but Mayor Quigle1 i is in doubt as to whether a new cOun-
 ril can vote to repeal an ordinance
 passed by the previous council. The idea of that is whether it is legal tha
 a man newly elected to an office, elect ed upon the platform that he vii vote for a repeal, has 8, right to sigr
 a petition that the vote of his predc
 cessors should be repealed. It i: thought that the signatures must bt those of members of the counci which pa ssed the ordinance.
 Various Departments Mentioned.
 IT the salaries are reduced it vii ! cripple some of the departments. I
 the salary of the superintendent o
 health was cut the city would have tt 1 get a new superintendent. Dr. StOCk
 we'll had 1t we'll understood before h. accepted the position that his salar,
 was to be the present amount Witl
 advances rather than cuts, and h. t would not stay in the employ a day i Y such a cut were made. The publi Q works department is mentioned a = another one of the objectives of tn T reduced rate men, The salaries o - certain school officials would also b r on the list of those to be cut 1t i 6 said.
 Il There is but little doubt that som = action is to be taken on the matte c and it is now becoming common talk I The board of relief filed its annua