Norwich bulletin., 1919-09-27
NEW L0ND0N'S BIGGEST BUDGET
Especial o The bulletin)


 ! New London, Sept. 26.-The biggest
 budget ever made up by any administrator is to be submitted TO
 the ely meeting next Monday night land it is so big that the taxpayers are already beginning ito squrm l Money has been expended the lost few i years in big punches and there is practically nothing to show for 1t. l in the construction of new sidewalks 1 there were charges of extravagance | filed against Mayor Mahan and the court of common council yet there was public improvement that was lat CT appreciated and the charges of ex travagance were withdrawn. There has been lavish expenditure of public cash and a general increase in wages and salaries of all city. officials and employees in the few years just passed. ana the worst Is yet to5 c6me.s Quarter of century ago, the budget footed s165O00 in round num- bers and now it is practically $925,O00 which is all out of proportion to even the healthy growth of the city.1n that budget are many items for large amounts that are not absolutely nec- essary at this time, and could go over for a year without any public in convenience. A year hence with reduction in the actual city wants, there might be room for the left overs.s and the budgets for the two years capitalized.
 That item of s1o,ooo for real estate experts in Boston, or elsewhere. to come to New London ana assess property is unnecessary and almost a wilful waste Of the haru-earned money of the majority of taxpayers. True, the budget calls for increased receipts that must be raised through taxation, but why pay an extra s10,000 or that work and bring the total amount for assessment of property up to at least s17.000 The city has competent board of asses sors and if the taxes must be in creased to meet the unusually big budget, there will be another revalu- ation and increased tax rate This can be done without the aid of out side experts. They cannot do the i'm possible any more than can the as- seSsors
 Twenty-Five years ago the grand list was s9,000.00e, and last year it was s29 100000. Last year the grand list of Norwich, much larger in area New London. was s19,0c9.0 900. There is question whether New London has not been assessed up to the ninety per cent of actual value.
 Within the past few months there have been sales of properties far be- yond their assessed values. and these sales undoubtedly have been noted by the board of assessors. On the other hand there have been sales that justi- fled the valua tons of the assessors. | For instance The Bond property, sold for s1s,0Oo and assessed for SIS = | 0o0 Newcomb property in Granite 1 street, sold for s18,000 and assessed i for 15,000; the Farnsworth property, 1 sold for $24,000, assessed for $15.000; i the Belden property, sold for ss 900; i assessed for s6,50o. The Hull build | ing has sold for a big sum and was | assessed for only s36,000. and an offer 1 of s40,000 was refused a few years 1 ago, but it is said s45,000 would have bought the property. The | Brainerd block is assessed for s32. 900, ! which is considered a fair valuation. !, there is ready purchaser, i who has option on one-half into i rest in the building for s26,0oo, and 1! the owner ofLhe other half has petit i toned the eodft for privilege to sell so as to get in on the sale while the sell ing is good. The Colonial building sold for $500 although when thei brick building was bought for s180OO the Colonial could have been secured for 10000. The Rogers building is assessed for sS0,000, which 1