The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-31
AtWater Continues
 Attack On City's Finance Management

this and ever hope to extricate our selves from the mass of bonded in- with it interest charges alone of ap- proximately s638,000 and within the next year coils for payments on ac- count of the principal of our bonded indebtedness of about $1,132,0O0?
 Is it to be wondered at that while our population during the past ten years has increased 40.7 per cent, our indebtedness has increased 490.96 per has increased 40.7 per cent the in- terest which we pay for our ever- growing indebtedness has increased 6s4.16 per cent? By this same stan dard, no business enterprise in this country could long avoid a fatal re- ceiVership or the bankruptcy court. No one of us would employ for more than 10 minutes after we learned the fact, a manager of our individual bus mess who made such a showing and yet, the same officials who are re- sponsfble for this condition of af- fairs, appear again on the Repubi- can ticket and ask for another expres- sion of our confidence and tell us squarely in deep platform adopted by the convention which nominated chem that they stand on their rec ord and approve the accomplishments of Mayor Wilson's past administra- tion." I say guardedly, that they ap- pear on the Republican ticket, be- cause I know that they were not nom in the primaries. Perhaps it would be better expression to say that they have appropriated the Republi- can label as a disguise for their real intentions, which apparently seem to be the satisfaction of their desire to retain office regardless of the conse- quences to the city or its citizenship.
 In this connection, 1t is interesting to note that during the past year tn, following deficits occurred in the con- 1uct of the department of Public Works:
 Macadam repairs deficit, e,s6s.7O Bituminous repairs deficit 2,S27.48 Street grading deficit 53,474.1S Street Sprinkling deficit S26.51 Tree removal deficit 4,7S0OO
 Making a. total of 6s,7e6.s7 in that department alone.
 We also find under the heading of Care and Maintenance of Bridges a deficit of S5,61O.54 in connection item of $50,000 for the Congress Street Bridge. We know from ex- perience that the latter. following a cost-plus contract. has been increas- ed ID approximately S1 100000.
 It is most lamenta1ble to know that the Charities Department last year wound up with a deficit of $56,798.21 and to realize that that department lOudy lS "il1iOuI 1uIIdIS W1ST6Wlln to continue the work among the poor during the winter season, in the midst of a depression pregnant with misery and suffering incident to which it will be the recipient of the unusual demands which go with such condi- tions.
 Let us not forget that this policy has resulted, too, in condition of a special tax in order to raise funds. I wish it distinctly und stoo q at this time that in event of my being
 elected mayor; I shall take no re- sponsfbility for that tax because the conditions which have made it necessary are conditions growing out of such malfeasance in office as I
 have de1ineated.
 The maintenance of Hillside Home likewise shows a deficit of s3554o.97, and the Municipal Garage (upon which SO much stress has been laid as a saving to the city. exhibits a de- f1cit of s1S.792. 66.
 In fact, the city department, as the city is being operated at this time, which does not show a deficit, is thing most unusual.
 This condition, while 1t has been
 one of esenstant growth. has taken on mushroom quality in its rapidity during the past two years I recoI-
 lect that Mayor Wilson frankly said before his election in 1919 that if reelected, he would go right on SpohuIHS iHOney III the future as ne did in the past. Apparently, he as- sumed that the vote of the people of Bridgeport on that occasion was
 an endorsement of his attitude and a | public funds. It now remains for our people to say whether it is their de- i sire that further license be conferred i upon the present city officials.
 It seems that too long tenure in office begets a contempt for the pub lic welfare, and corresponding so- Ncltude for ones own personal inter-
 ests- It seems that the placement | of too much of the public confidence | in the deeds of one man or one set i of men, must always be productive i of an ultimate breach of that conf1- ; dence. It would appear that this sense of security produced by repeat ed re-electtons has finally produced | a feeling that the recipients of these
 favors had conferred upon them i selves boon for their own advan-
 tions under the public trust that they 1 assumed.
 I believe that we have been toe | long upon a career of spectacular | financing, that the era of reckless and | wanton expenditure of public funds | must close, and that We must now
 adjust ourselves to the conditions
 which confront us with a view tc I and safe and sound basis with the | least possible burden to our tax pay.
 CTS and rent payers
 | In fact, if 1t is the wil1> of the people of Bridgeport that I be the
 next mayor of this city, I shall fee very much in the position of one who has been appointed receiver of an en- | terprise that has been shaken to its foundations by bad management and l brought to the point of wreckage by maladmfnistration, and suspended | upon the brink of ruin by incompe- l tency and the prosecution of policies
 purposely to attain such an object | and so I will have to set about my
 task, and ] assure you that it will be
 a difficult one, with firm intention to | retrench, eliminate waste, stop the l leakage, and endeavor with all my power to force a return to a strict | honesty and due efficiency. And ii | I am so elected, it will be my earnest i hope to turn over the affairs of the | city to my successor cleansed of their
 present malconditions, and stabilized