Norwich bulletin., 1921-06-25

Chapter 26S, which provides for the de- | ferring of the collection of taxes due prior to August 1, 1921; such back taxes are to be paid by the companies paying to the state annually one-half of their | net income, in addition to paying the tax for the then current year. If all taxes | due the state from any company are paid before July 25, 1928, interest of only 4 1-2 per cent. Is to be charged, but if not liquidated by that time the un- paid taxes are to bear interest at Nle | rate of per cent, 2-Paving-
 Chapter S14 changes the paving and the highway repair law to conform to the recommendations of tAe chamber, by re- heving trolley companies of the liability | for the repairs of the highway, except such as is within eight inches of each
 rail.
 S-Bridges-
 The chamber recommended that .trol- 1 ley companies be relieved of the cost of
 building and maintaining highway bridg- es used by them, for which in the past
 they have been liable for one-third the
 expenses. This recommendation was fol- lowed absolutely in Chapter s33 of the
 Public Acts.
 4-Jitneys-
 Likewise Chapter 2S7 follows the
 chambers recommendation, by authoriz-
 ing street railway companies to own and | operate motor vehicles.
 Perhaps the greatest relief to .the troll | Icy companies Is that provided for by Chapter 77, which puts iitneys under the Jurisdiction of the Public Utilities Com
 mission, as regards the routes, fares,
 speed, schedule, continuity of service,
 and the convenience and safety of the
 passengers and the public. No itney
 line may be established until, after hear
 ing held in the town where the jitney pro-
 poses to operate, the commission has is-
 sued certificate that the public con-
 venience and necessity require it's op.
 eration over such route. This is as ad- vised by the Connecticut Chamber of Commerce.
 5-Abandonment- A bill was introduced In the assembly permitting street railway companies tc
 abandon non-paying lines, or parts Of : lines, as recommended by the chamber
 It was never reported back by the com mittee to which it was referred, The pur pose of the bill is in large measure ac complished, however, by Chapter 2S' , (See 1, ante), which allows trolley com : panies to operate motor busses for cleo tric cars.
 6-Fares-
 The only other measure recommends, by the chamber, which was not acted up
 on by the general assembly was on, which could not be considered as directl,
 assisting the trolley companies fin thei
 present financial predicament, althougI it would indirectly benefit the compa nies = by encoura ging cooperation between tn t public and the companies. This recon 0 mendation was that rates of fare shoul t be based upon grounds of municipalitie I so inter-re.ated as to riding habits as { d make up system essentially distinc y from other groups of municipalities with
 in which the same company operated Tn l. vote of the chamber on this measure wa l. 135 to 34 in favor of the recommends T tion. It is suggested that this matte e be born in mind, w'Il a view to propo: e ing it again when the legislature meet e in 1923
 J. Summary
 e- The exact measure of the contributio ot of the State Chamber of Commerce to Il l. procuring of the passage of all this legi E. lation is, of course prob.ema tical. Yol It committee feels, however, that the fa
 that the chamber conducted an imparti
 investiga tion and presented the facts at the public through the publicity givt ar the reports of your committee to u ) board of directors had a considerable e ,n feet in making the people of Connect ct cut realize the seriousness of the tro V ley situation, and also the fact that u ct trolleys were essential to them It is a to so felt that the unprejudiced advice gi yh en by the chamber at hearings on cal rs of the trolley bills held by the differe of committees of :he general assembly w
 of value in assisting the committees it their deliberations upon the bills befo h. them.
 g. In conclusion, the committee would G ng your attention to the fact that eve H. daily paper in the state, practically wit ct out exception, commented editorially " praise of the chamber in conducting ol- investigation.
 b- We quote from one such editori ax which is typical of all 'er ''The recommendations of the trol UT investigation committee of the Connec