New Britain herald., 1922-02-08
SALARY CUT PLAN

The Herald has stood consistently against general and needless rcduc- ton in salaries of city employees. This was the only plan heretofore suggest ed. ten per cent cut or twenty per cent cut straight down the line, no consideration being given to the merits of each case would be crude, unfair, justice that would indeed be blind to the point where it would constitute rank injustice.
 The attitude of the Herald was prompted by knowledge that there were many of the clerks, stenogra- phcrs and other persons occupying places under the heads of departments who were at least not overpaid, if they were not Sadly underpaid. Specific in stances might be cited. It is needless. Such is the fact and it is known to those who have investigated that such is the case
 Another plan has been suggested by the board of finance and taxation In effect that plan is to have each de- partment add up the salaries of all per sons connected with that department then take ten per cent of that total, deduct that ten per cent from the total and reapportion the remaining amount among the people connected with the department, giving each such salary as, in the opinion of the head of the department such person earns. The result would bring the same re- suit as general ten per cent cut, ir- respective of the merits of the case, but would take the portions of that ten per cent from those most able to bear it and those who in the opin- ion of the heads of the departments, were hest paid when the amount of work they do and the efficiency with which they do it is taken into consid- eration Thus d fifteen per cent re- duction might be made in the salary of one employe, and five per cent re- duction made in that of another. The salary of one employe might even be left the same as it..ts or raised, and, to make up the anal lnnt so that the total would come within the amount obtained after deducting the ten per cent from the former total, the salar- ies of other employees would be cut, the sum of those cuts equalling the sum of the raises or the sum of the differences between the total after the ten per cent had been deducted and the present total of salaries paid in that department
 The Herald believes still that salar- ies should not be cut generally at this time. The saving in actual cash would be small, and the possible loss of eff ciency great AS before stated~ how ever, it believes that there are cases where reductions may be made. If it would bcspossible to make such cuts and keep within the totals allowed under this new plan, the arrangement would be ideal To bring about this result q long and thorough study of the situation would be required. The plan contains the germ of the right idea to be put in practice whenever salaries are cut Never should there be a general cut, all being treated alike. The work of the departments varies from year to year, and con seauently the work of the employees varies In no year would general cut, the same amount in each case, work justice.
 If the common counci! insists upon cutting sa alaries-for 1t is the Common Council which debates the question with more knowledge of the facts than the City Meeting Board at the time the budget is presented and the salary matter is thus finally passed upon let the cuts be made after this plan by all means