New Britain herald., 1922-02-16
All Other Recommendations of Board of Finance And Taxation Receive Approval of Common Council-City Fathers In Session Until Midnight
Councilmcn Hart and Crus- berg Hold Out for Hori- zontal Reduction While Councilman Rice Leads Opposition.

After holding session until few minutes before midnight. the common council found last night that 1t was unable 10 straighten out the 1922 1923 budget tanGle and authorized Ithe appointment of committee Of five members to work out the prob lem. A report will be submitted by that committee at a special session | of the council tonight
 Object to Wage Cuts The body ratified the report Of the board Of finance and taxation with the exception of salary matters in which 10 per cent cut has been pro- posed Prior to arriving at its deci- sion that the appointment of a com- mittee was the best way out of the Imix-up, the council had gone through the school department items concern ling salaries. Teachers salaries were placed at their present figure, as was the superintendent of schools and the item for janitor salaries. Evening school teachers salaries and those of the attendance bureau werecut 10 per cent. It was voted later to rescind the action and instruct the special committee to add on 10 per cent to all salary items where the horizontal cut had been made by the finance and taxation committee
 r. $. Chamberlain Speaks
 When the budget matter came up for consideration. Mayor 0. r. Curtis gave tho privilege of the floor to Pres ident r. s. Cha amberlain Of the finance board. The chairman reminded that the board had very important step ito make in which step was taken that had never been asked or re- 1uired before. He stated that he had been member Of the board of finance and taxation since it was in- auEurated, in 902. and before that time he worked on budget commit tees
 Higher Rate Now
 He pointed out that while the tax rate last year was 22 mills, but 1S.2 was actually used to run the city for the year, the remainder being repre- sented in taxes laid to meet deficits and for the two platoon plan in the fire department. This year. he said, the rate. without deficit of cut, is 2o.4 or 2.2 more than last year.
 Big Jump in Budget
 Going back to the city's finances in the year before the war period, Mr. Chamberlain told the council that in 1914 the budget called for $S4S,000: this year, after all cuts are made, it amounts to s2.0o0,000 or in other ha ait, sl it now spends $40. During the period in question the growth of the ,ity was about o5 per cent
 t9O Per Cent Rise in school Costs
 The school system, which in 1914 cost the city s245,0oo. now costs s715,ooo, after cuts are made, repre- entng an increase of 19o per cent
 The increase in street lighting, tho was informed was 25 per cent.
 Police Dept, Increases.
 In the police board items, after cuts n pay and every other possible place lave been made amount to s122,900 $ against s54.Sa5 in 1914 The in- rease is 124 per cent.
 Figures Climb High.
 Other increases in departmental ex- 'enses, Mir Chamberlain stated, ara S follows: Fire, S47,00o to si2S,oOo; harity, s41. .00o to saS, 900; health, 10000 to s26. .o00; interest and dis ount s1S,ooo to s1340o0: incidental und. s21.o0o to s2h,o ,ooo; streets, 25 er cent increase and sprinkling, e2 er cent increase, The total increase yer 1914 is 14o per cent.
 Sees Greater Expenses.
 The finance board president urged hat all unnecessary expenses be cut own, but warned that even with cuts
 will cost more to run the city nan it did last year.
 SS7O.OOO For Payroll
 or the money which it is proposed , spend, s522,000 cannot be touched, eing represented in interest and dis punt, state and county taxes, etc. Of 1e remainder 3 per cent arc items ther than salaries. which in the pinon of the chairman. are cut as w as is possible at present. In the em of personal services, ss7o,ooo or per cent of the total is represented. his, the finance board proposed to 'duce by 10 per cent.
 Suggests Wage Cuts.
 Mir. Cham berlain asserted that it as a most unpleasant thing to ask lat salaries be brought down. but he 1t the city had reached ;he stage here it must cconomizc and he felt le item of personal services should } reduced. He did not anticipate lat the municipal government would ave difficulty in holding its em- oyes. including school teachers, nee similar cuts will be made else- here, he felt certain.
 No Justification can be made for ntinuancc of the present salaries ,less it can be assured that taxpay-
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