Norwich bulletin., 1921-03-07
REFERENDUM VOTE ON
 PROBLEM OF THE TROLLEYS

That the average citizen of Connecticut is strongly in favor of all possible well directed legislation looking toward the solving of the trolley problem is indicated in the results of 8 statewide referendum announced Saturday by the Conn ecticut Chamber of Commerce. This referendum follows a special report on trolley con- ditioHs of the state compiled after near ly two years work by a special commit tee of the chamber, consisting of Morgan B. Brainard of Hartford, Arthur L. Kim ball of New Britain, R. ". Perkins of Norwich, Percy T. Litchfeld of Bridge port and Arnold Turner of Danbury. At the present time officers and members of the chamber are actively engaged in the support of legislation now under cops1d- eratien by the general assembly as a re- suit of the prospective passage of which 1t is hoped that trolley conditions through out Connecticut /4y be so stimulated as to admit of necessary repairs and inn proyernents, to say nothing of the pos- sibility of returns to the stockholders. The report tabalated according to different phases of the question is as follows: l. Taxation. (a) All common car riers engaged in similar business should be similarly taxed. In Favor IFS. op- posed ?.
 (b) The tax upon all common carriers engaged in business similar to that of street railway company should be based upon their net income. In favor 1se, opposed g.. a -...-... (c) The time for payment of all un- paid taxes now due the state of Connec- tieut from street railway companies should be extended until July l, 1923- without interest from the date the tax become due. In favor 65, opposed -. 2. Paving Street railway companies should be relieved of all street paving | 1Equirements, except the obligation to fepair paving actually damaged by the companies In favor i68, opposed 12. 3. Bridges. Street railway companies should be relieved of all bridge building and maintenance requirements, except the obligation to install and maintain the | rails, wires and accessories used exclu- sively by the companies. In favor 1S5, opposed 20.
 !. Jitneys. (a) Street railway com- panies should have authority to operate motor buses in substitution for, or auxil- l iary to- existing lines. and to establish new bus lines In favor 175, opposed 3. (b) All common carriers doing a street passenger transportation business,
 including electric street railway cempan-
 ies and jitneys so-called, except those
 doing a cab or livery business, should be
 subject to the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission as to routes, rates of fare, schedules and service required, and
 no new trolley line, and no jltpey bus line, whether operated by trolley com pany or otherwise, should be established
 or authorized without finding of public
 convenience and necessity. after duly advertised hearing-by the public utih ties commission in favor Ss, opposed 1 I-or-(in substitution for 'fby the public
 utilities commission" in the last line)
 by the public utilities commission i the line be essentially inter-urban. or b!
 the municipality affected if the line bt essentially inter-urban, or by the muni
 eipality affected if the line be essentiall!
 intra-urban, with right of appeal 10 thi public utilities commission by any part,
 aggrieved. In favor s4, opposed.
 B. Abandonment and Municipal Own
 ershep. 4a) Street railway cenapanie
 should have authority to abandon non
 paying lines, or parts of lines, with tn
 permission of the public utilities commis
 sion, after hearing. In favor 169, opposet T H. (h) Municipal ownership is not ia
 fored unless it is impossible to induc
 priva' capital to operate street rail
 way system. In favor 14s, opposed 2s
 (c) Not recommended by committee
 Municipalities or groups of municipalitie . should have authority to purchase. oper 1 ate or subsidize railway lines or portion
 of lines which would be otherwise aban
 dened and to build new lines. and t raise the necessary funds therefor by gen eral taxation, or by local assessment up
 on the property immediately benefited. 1 favor 47. opposed 11S. (d) Not recon mended by ,omr ittee Municipalities 0 groups of municipalities, should have au
 therity to make serYice-at-cost contract
 with street railway companies. In ia
 vor 47, opposed 113.
 se. Fares. Rates of fare should be dc [ ternined by the relative cost of operatin -l the street railway lines within muni ' cipality or a group of municipalities s . inter ?related as to riding habits as t {. make up & street railway system essen l tially distant from other systems in tn . state. In favor 135, opposed 34.
 VI It appears almost certain that man
 voting opposed on (b) intended { record their votes against municipal owr : ership and not against the recommends S ton of the committee against municfps s ownership.