The Connecticut labor news., 1921-09-09
Blodgett, Naively Pass es Over States De- fleets but Tn s | S t s Enough M u S t B e Raised to Pay It's Levy.

ANNJ
 Urging all towns to go to the nllll in Keeping QOWn expenses ana ddoPl the 'pay-as-yOu pOhcy, otdlc ak ,omlnlss1oner bIodgett Ill h1s tour wear report strongly recommends Ieg1slat1on that Will keep town eN- uenses down. Mr. blougctt passes over the way the state expenses nave zone LID at the expense Ol the towns put nalVely says as tOlloWe:
 "Ihe 'pay-aS-yOu-gO-a pOllCy cannot be too strongly emphdolZeu tor towns. The financial dlIhcultles ot many of the municipalities Will Do overcome when they IOlloW thc Ao ou1rementS Ot the statutes ol ldlolll5 :. sufficient amount i'll taxes to cover the expenses ot the ensuing year. q "Atter the board Ot rene1 has conl- Dleted It's work, the town IS lcqull GU 10 lew a tax SutlC1cnt Ill amount lo meet the estimated expenses Aol lllc ensuing year, plus the dehclt' Il dnS' ot the preceding year, the COlllllIio s,oner points out. In spite ot this reuu1rement ot the statutes, the Se- lect1nen ot 70 of the Ioo towns ot the state did not include III thclr last re- ports to the towns a budget ot eS- 1,mated current expenses tor the en- suing year. ICurrent expenses meaning state tax.)
 Hard a Hard Job-
 Commissioner BIodgctt explains that much difficulty was experienced bv his department 1n getting compete returns with the result that much correspondence was neceSSltated Ill order 10 make the states report re I,able and worth the expense to the state. One town report Which Is cited as an example showed that only nine answers were furnished.
 "Ihese difficulties" says Comms- sioner Blodgett, were attributed 10 the very crude and sometimes shit less methods of business and account ing used. While 1t IS most disagree able to thus point out the shortCOlh- ings of those who sent reports 10 uo' th1s comment will be reCelNe ed as nay ing been made with no purpose oth- CT than to be helpful. We nope 10 procure a spirit ot accuracy among othc,als in dealing with the serious matter ot taxation and finance within the several towns ot the state.
 Some Soft Soap.
 Commissioner BIodget recommends to inc towns the establishment o1> an accounting system which will attalh "a vastly higher business ethclency and a more economic and sySte1ldl.e conduct of public business, he says.
 "Any instrumentallty which brings the financial detail of their towns cities and boroughs to the constant consideration Ot greater nu1nDel ol the citizens who are responsible 1Ol the payment of taxes and part1CuldI y of such citizens as are pest dDle u understand financial management Cal have none other than sanitary eHeG in the communities wherein ouCl course is followed. In the mun1c1pa!' ities where boards of finance exist, II will be found that a sound DaSlc IL nancial policy has been adopted, anc bv reason of the acquaintance ot the character of the men referred to WILL c,,ch Dolicv, 1t is maintained Ill tOWl meetings and throughout the years U, 1e the advantage of such communities
 Here's the Figures.
 As has already been told III R1e Iiminarv report the total net 1ndeDt edness of all counties, cities, DOT onohs. towns and fire districts Ot th' state is $73,43o,77o.74, an increase ~ SI8,338,oII.2o or 32.20 per cent. oVI the 1910 report. The total recelpl and expenditures were 9oo,952'I1l y and $o4,7oo, I68.74. The tota! net Ill debtedness of the counties IS 9e22' 900 an increase of $35o,o57.75 or o1.' per cent since 1910. Ot the elgll countiesaof the state two show an Ill crease. three a decrease i'll indebted ness. and the remaining three ShOV no change, having no debt in 1912
 Of the 163 towns in the. stat stat 78 have shown an increase of indebt edness, 83 a decrease, five towns hay ., the same indebtedness, as i'll 1910 an' the the remaining two towns had no in debtedness in 1916 and in 1920.
 Just Where We're At.
 The following table covers the II cities of the state based on the poPu lation of the 1920 census returns all' 1919 grand lists: :. Dor