Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-10-31
pay Referendum
Issues For The Voters

The question of increasing the
pay of the members of the police
force is to come before the voters Of
Perth Amboy at the coming cleo
ton. 1t will appear on the ballot
as follows:
Shall the patrolmen receive (a)
for the first yea of service $1,000;
CD for the second year of service
$1,000; (c) for the third year OF
service $4,000, all to be effective
January /, 1922"
Opposite this question will be the
customary Eyes" and no" If the
voter is in favor of the patrolmen
receiving the above stated amounts,
which are an increase over the
present salaries of $500 for the
three year men and 5000 for the
two and one. year men, he will put
his x opposite the word yes" II
he is opposed to this increase he
will mark tx, opposite the word
mo-"
OF course, it is optional with the
Board of Aldermen whether the in
crease is granted regardless of how
the people vote. But the aldermen
are almost certain to be governed
by the result of the election. The
increases are made by a vote of the
AAS ~ NV Ny tllC NOtO VI IliO
people. 1t may be taken for grant
ed, however, that if a majority vote
"yes" on this question on November
p the policemen viii get their raise
and If the majority vote "no" the
salaries will remain as they are.
In an effort to set the facts be-
fore the public as to just what this
question on the ballot means to the
taxpayers as well as 20 the patrol
men themselves, the Evening News
has secured a statement setting
forth their reasons for asking for
the raise at this time. Facts have
also been secured from the financial
cepartment of the city to show what
effect the proposed raise would have
on the tax rate and what it would
mean to the police department, gen
orally.
The statement by the patrolmen
is as follows:
ITO the Voter:
THE raise of pay question for the
patrolmen of this city will be put to
a vote on election day. November 7,
1922.
"We are only asking for the three
hundred ($300.00) dollars bonus
that was taken away from us Janu-
airy /, 1922.
1.-THE high cost of living affects
the patrolmen the same as it does
everyone else. If not more. AS we
believe the following table will
demonstrate to all fair-minded vot-
ers that the patrolmen today are
not receiving a sufficient wage to
support their families IN a proper
manner.
"In estimating living costs, the
family basis must be considered,
and as the average family consists
of three children land two adults,
making a total of five, upon this
basis the following table has been
prepared, which we submit to you.
liable of approximate cost of
maintaining In average family of
five under moderate circumstances:
Patrolman's uniforms and
clothes for each member
of the family, 'all descrip-
ton. per year 1919. $4,000
Pent, five room fiat. $40 per
month .........:...... 10000
Coal. per year. six tons at
$500 per ton ......... 1900
Gas or electric for work
and light 75c per week.. $500
Upkeep of household goods
@A.Vu per Wcch ss.s.... UZ.UU
Shoes, three pairs each at
$500 per pair ......... 1900
Sickness, including doctor
and dentist entire family 10000
Insurance, fire and life, j..
$3.50 per week entire
family ................ 1890
Fraternal organizations SOC
per week ............ $500
Contributions to religion
and charity soc per week $500
Food. $2.70 per day for en-
tire family ............ 982.80
For incidentals such as to-
bacco, newspapers, mag
azines, study, school es-
sentials, etc, SOC per
week for each member of
the family ............ 10000
-. -aaa rE - -
$2.2s5.sO