New Britain herald., 1922-02-13
LOWER TAX RATE.

flied approval Of the attempt of tho
 subcommittee of the board of finance
 and taxation to cut down estimates oi
 expenditures for the next fiscal year
 A study of the various amounts
 agreed upon shows careful con-
 sideration of the needs of depart
 ments and a tendency to make the
 cuts small in each case, bringing,
 however, considerable sum when the total is found. If the dental clinic will fail without the $6,o00, 1t
 should not be cut out. The pro- . posed reduction in salaries of fire men and policemen, totalling s23,- o4l.5o. should not be made, it is said. Justice and safety demand this change.
 A lower tax rate should be ob- obtained if such thing is possible. The only safe way in which to reach such lower rate has now been adopted by the board of finance and taxation, by making the attempt it. self instead of allowing some outside organization, such as the Taxpayers Association, to do it.
 mates practically as presented by this sub com mittee 1t is taken for granted that no reductions have been made which would bring the estimate below the amount necessary to be paid un- der the law, and that no estimates of income have been made which are so high that the amount named could not by any possibility be received. In the past, when reduced budgets have been submitted to the voters at old city meetings. it has been found that these faults were in evidence. The budgets submitted on some occasions by the Taxpayers Association have been open to the criticism that they absolutely required for the city, and that certain items were illegal. Tech nical errors, due to the lack of com plete knowledge of the departments needs and the legal requirements have crept in, no matter with how great a degree of good faith the budgets were prepared,
 There should be no ground for such criticisms of a budget prepared under authority of the official board of finance and taxation. If this budget Is approved by the common council there should be no danger of the appearance of another. ostensibly calling for a still lower tax rate, at the City Meeting Board session. At least there will be no danger of an- other budget being presented at the last moment, appealing to taxpayers because of it's reduced figures, but loosely covering the items. The charter amendments creating the City Meeting Board and making provision for the filing and advertisement of amendments and modified or new proposals to be brought up, prevent this unfortunate occurrence. Mem- bers of the City Meeting Board, and the taxpayers will have due notice of any proposed alterations in the budg ct which will be presented
 The plan of the board of finance and taxation to bring a lower tax rate should be approved. with the ex captions noted In the matter of re- ducing salaries of the city employees, however. especial care should be taken. The ten per cent reduction in salaries and wages should be consid- cred as previously suggested-a ten per cent cut from the total of all sal aries and wages paid by each depart ment and reapportionment of the remaining amount by each depart ment between its employees If 1t is found that this cannot be done with out injustice In certain departments, the ten per cent cut in salaries recom- Inended should be modified in this particular to point where justice will be done. It would seem that this elastic authority in departments to readtust salaries in strict accordance with merit would give each the chance to cut each total. In view of the strong effort being made to re- luce the tax rate, and in view of the present situation it would seem that , heads of departments would be able to make certain cute never. however taking part of the pay from those : whose influence may be little, but who need and earn all the salary they { receive. Rather than this there | should be no salary or wage cuts , The dental clinic is of too great im- portance to be allowed 10 fail. If it !s , impossible tc find means Of con tinuing 1t. as. for instance the hoc- t