New Britain herald., 1929-09-07
CLAIMS CITY HAS
 'L0AF|NG' CLERKS
Dr, JafIe Critical in Speech to
 Taxpayers Association


 Mayor George A. Quigley said at
 meeting of the Citizens Property
 Owners association last night.
 The meeting was held at Lithua-
 nian hall on Park street. Property
 owners from the second ward at
 tended. As no suitable hall was
 available in the second ward, the , meeting was held in the fourth with more than a score present. John
 Smolak, chairman of the fifth ward
 committee of the association, presid-
 ed
 The speakers were Mr Quigley,
 Dr. N. B. Jaffe, secretary of the as
 aociation, John Smolall and Vincent
 DobroWolski, president of the asso-
 citation.
 "When you take an interest in
 city affairs you eventually become
 a good citizen," said Mr. Quigley,
 and not only help to promote the
 progress Of this community but also
 improve the lives of those whom the
 hand of fortune has overlooked.
 Real estate has decreased to it's
 lowest stages" asserted Mr. Quigley,
 'deflating as the days go by because
 the conditions in this city are prob
 ably the worst ever witnessed here.'
 He explained that when a man built
 Q block few years ago he had in
 mind of making some sort of liveli-
 hood from the incomes but values of
 properties have dropped and the once fully occupied tenements have
 now three, four and five vacancies
 and in addition, the overwhelming
 tax rate are causing tremendous
 losses to the property owners of this
 city, he said.
 How can the taxes be lowered 2"
 exclaimed the speaker, who paused for d minute and then answered: You must go out and fight for your rights in this world, you must de- liberate in your ideas and meet all opposition with informed statements of the city government.
 q have been criticized by the various boards and committees of the city government" he admitted. T want the children to be taught in magnificent edificeS, the teachers pay raised and the children given the 1 best of accommodations, but can 1 the taxpayers of this city meet the expenses? l am not here to criticize . the city government and the various <, boards but 1 would like to state that 1 the school board has been too eX- ! travagant and too nasty in school eX- ! penditures.
 T do believe in spending s5,- , GOO, 900 on the water system, but in , the most economic and logical way. 1 You taxpayers of New Britain will /, take a new attitude towards the city i government when the next water bill l will amount to $60.
 Dr. N. E. Jaffe, the next speaker, l stated that the tax rate in this city IS i one of the highest in the state of { Connecticut Hartford, Bristol and , cities of Massachusetts have fine : parks, roads and public buildings , and yet manage to get along with 1 lower tax rate than that of this city, l he said.
 ] Blames Park Dept. ! "The city hall is full of 1oafing ! clerks" he declared, the majority ! having work too easy for them and 1 vet draw a fat salary. Dr. Jaffe said that the park department is too
 liberal with the use of public , money, in opening tennis courts in various parts of this city, of which :, the working class seldom makes use. The changing of flowers in the , beds in parks in the city is rdicu , lous, he charged and not only cause i frightful appearance but resemble , graves in cemeteries by having dug Y. up ditches in the parks" He sad ! that these are responsible for the /: high tax rate of this city. |" A poor man in this city invests i his life's earnings in lot on the | outskirts of the city and struggles | during the summer months to build l d cellar for his home, in which he 1 hopes 10 rest in peace and comfort. l Months later a little home is built l and the entire fortune of that man 1 is invested in the property. Then l comes the tax, like huge hammer l smashes the house into spllntors, l causing a foreclosure and the loss | of the hard earned dollars of the l victim. Then there is no one to tell l your troubles to, no one to refer to l and spend the rest of your life in l regret and remor~"" He stated that l the City hall W '1eadhouse' and without mercy in assessments. l Men in this city are not inter- | ested in property; they invest their | money in stocks and bonds and you, l the taxpayers of this city, are the l ones that must do the worrying he l said, This is no city for gamblers, | your money is hard earned and you 1 must get the full benefit from it.. ] This is a cosmopolitan city, a city ! of energy.
 l Would Tax Investors l "Why does not the city levy l tax on the stock holders of this city who make thousands yearly and | leave the property owners to meet l the city's expenditures, to struggle | and starve yourself to get the ade- l quate amount of tax money. It is not | robbery but it is next to it. he said,
 and politics and robbery run in | parallel line. TEhey cannot see hid | den values but tax, tax without | mercy" he insisted.
 l John Smolak, acting chairman,
 pointed out that when q rich man | dies and an inventory is taken of | his belongings, the greatest percent l age is invested in stocks and very l little in property. You can not | pay all the expenses of the city 1 government" ne stated, land the
 city must find means of raising
 money besides the heavy taxing of
 property owners. It is we, the tax payers, that are induced to pay 1 practically all the expenses and ] how sim nIe if would be to invest our