New Britain herald., 1926-03-03

lhA 'dot tllG hbAltdIlts tl lIt stNH onl taxing district Forcstvillel to cucompuss the territory dependent on the proposed sewer system, A study oi the situation could then he made, and n feasible and practicable plan provided, urge tha, your carly aud onergp lie consideration be EI'ru 'o this proposed improvement,
 "nrr Ct th" most serious and pressing problems confronting Rris. 'o', u common with other Communi. ties, is to provide adequate facilities for constantly increasing auto trnF- Il" Hud parking requirements. The lcNrloOm"nt Of the motor car has rcrolu'lOni2"d our mode of travel and roads and streets once adequate and sufficient for our needs are now as utterly unSuitcd and antiquatcd as 'h" cart and OK team. Not only ara more and wider streets an absolute necessity hut pavement suitable 10 iN" traffic must be provided. For 'una'"ly the matter of paving is largely one of expense but "a In. crease the width Of existing streets 10 accommodate present day needs presents difficulties that appear well nigh unsurmountable, The StrlHs Of our city were planned and dos ;n- "d 10 meet tho traffic rcquirou. ms o' an ago now in the discard. We are not 70 blame for this. but it IS inoNcusahlo 10 continue along the Samo lines, now that we know tho requirements. A tho present timc, 'hc city will accept q 50 foot street. II is my opinion that we should de- cline any future street layout that is not at least co feet between curhs, no matter If it Is in outlying sec tons The outlying sections of to- day will he the centnrs of tomorrow. l therefore recommend that we take tho necessary steps to accomplish this change.
 "W" spend largo sums every year for roconditioning our streets, but at tho end Of the season. we usually find that wear and the clements have iissipatcd the work done, and 1t is necessary 10 repeat the process. Thus i tho viCious circle continues, and in . tho end Wc have nothing 10 show for |the money spent. can see only one i alternative 10 this utterly wasteful program. namely, permanent paving. i suitable for present traffic require Imnnts.
 i'AITb art 1 ir11 cl, In able amount of permanent paving each year, utilizing for the purpose. much of the money we now spend for temporary repairs, the balance 10 | he appropriated from taxes.
 Most of the Improvements herein 1 recommended can be made without serious burden on the citys finances and the benefits will far exceed the cost in any event. I wish also 10 i iomphasi2c the fact that 1t is my pur- pose 10 continue the same policy Of rigid economy which has been main- tainnd during my administration Of the citys affairs.
 "Thcre appears 10 be consider able misappre tension and confusion ! in the minds of some of our tax | payers as 10 the reasons for. and the possible results that may ac- 1 cruo from the assessors property i revaluations. 4 brief statement of facts at this time therefore may be of interest. I think it is recognized hy all intelligent observers that i property values in any growing com munity change from time to time, also that values iu various locali- tics within q city are subject to 1 chang" as related 10 values in other localities, due 10 Improvements shifting of CrnttrS. etc. Hence f. is q yer" general custom with nll municipalities, 10 make revaluations at intervals in order to correct md i "quallze such changed conditions Tho idea being, that all property owners should pay a just share of taxes, based on capitalized and | related values. and as I understand l it, this is exactly what our asSrs- sors have attempted to do in their recent rcvaluation Of the grand list The result Of their efforts may not he absolutely perfect, and I doubt if it would b" humanly possible to make a valuation that would be sat isfactory O all taxpayers, but in the main, I believe, the assessors have don" aN excellent piece of work.
 . T,oI
 because the assessors have tried 10 list all properties at fair and req
 Sonnhln values there should he a
 feeling that the taNpay"r will suffer ! thereby, W" hay" 70 raise by taxa
 ton, sufficient money 10 run the
 city governments; and it does not mak" any difference in dollars and
 ccn'S 10 the taxpayer whether the
 grand list is low end rate high, or
 tn" grand list high and tho rate
 rroportionately low The important
 thing Is that all properties should
 ha in th" grand list at fair and 1 'qualiZod values, so that each tax
 payer will pay his proper share to-
 ward the rity'S "~p'Nsa. Any as
 sumption that fhn increase in 'he
 grln1 list will lead to cxtravarancc
 or '"ni to encourage honl issues
 is absolutely unwarranted. Nr at- 'nui" toward public cXponiiturcS will not ho induoncod in 'he slight. t'.St by the increase in tho grand list
 My stand Is exactly as it always has
 hron I'll" c!t>'s affairs should br ronductcl in fhr most efficient and economical manner possible, a'way,
 with du" rssard to proper mainto. ,rnuoo and s"r,io", md the taxpayer
 wl'l nof b. called upoN 10 supply q
 dollar for fri}}s or oy'ravaFarcA sc
 fnr as am able to control thc sit.
 ua'loN."