New Britain herald., 1928-03-26
Deplores Policy Of Many Which Merely Borrow Money to
 Pay Off Back Debts
TAX COLLECTORS HOLD
 SESSION AT CAPITOL
Thinks Idea of Filling Up Debts For Future Generations Is "AlI Wrong" Cites Case of His Own Town of Plainyille, Which Borrows SlO.O09 Each Year To Meets Its Budget Uniform Town Accounting.

Hartford, March 26 P,-Connecti- cut towns were advised to pay as you go" by Gov. John H. Trumbuli this morning at the state capital at a meeting of all the tax collectors in the state called by State Tax Com missioner William II. Blo1gett. Over 150 collectors, assessors and other town officials attended the all-day session.
 Tax Collector Frederick l.. Phelps of Middletown presided. Introduce tory remarks were made by Otis J. Hart, Hartford tax collector, and chairman of the advisory committee of tax collectors. Mayor Norman c. Stevens welcomed the assemblage.
 Uniform Accounting
 Gov. Trumbull, the first principal speaker. declared he would like to see q uniform system of accounting Kept in all towns of the state.
 ''It is absolutely impossible today O make an intelligent comparison, ? he said.
 The governor said he wished the state tax commissioner had the au- thority to impose such a system Of uniform town accounting, and that the state commissioner should have at all times access to the books in "ach town. and should be able from time to time to publish reports of all towns so that every one may know the conditions.
 Taking as the subject Of his ad- iress, municipal budgets" the gov yrnor reiterated his pay-as-you-go policy. calling attention to the fact that many towns are not meeting their budgets. They are merely bor- rowing money to pay off debts, he said.
 'If a town doesn't meet Its cur rent expenses and has q deficit. this deficit should be tbe first item to go he next years budget" he advised
 Gov. Trumbull saw occasion for th" existence of bond issues of short 'erm bonds 10 meet unusual and Iarse expenses, but he said these loans should be closed up quickly us possible and should 20 on the bud get each year
 This Idea of piline up debts for future generations is all wrong," he told the collectors.
 Cites Home Town
 "plainville has been borrowing about s10,00O each year to meet its budget" said the governor. No town should borrow in excess Of its six months accounts; in other words. against the future"
 William J. Smith, collector in Avon, spoke on personal taxes.
 Dr. William l.. Higgins. first se- lectman of Coventry, discussed the same subject.
 Tax Collector Smith questioned the advisability of the Go-day per- iod of grace for delinquent personal taxpayers, saying that during the two months in question the enroll lncnt of the town is incomplete.
 Dr. Higgins likewise questioned the advisability of this period of grace. and advised the consideration of repeating the state law granting it. He warned against letting this matter of tax collection become q political football"
 The tax lien law Of 1927 was con- sidered one of the most important tax laws in the state, in a discussion of it by Samuel A. Persky, corpora ton counsel of New Haven and by Edward l.. Kelley, tax attorney of Bridgeport.
 After luncheon. Commissioner Blodgett spoke on "Thc Alias Tax Warrant" Other speakers of the afternoon were B. Palmer Heating of the Aetna Casualty and Surety company on Responsibility of the Collectors Bondsmen:" Harold Hall, tax collector of Meriden, and Charles C. Spreyer, assessor of New Haven.