New Britain herald., 1929-02-21
Cl)MM0N COUNCIL UNABLE ID AGREE
 ON 2 TAX RATE
(continusd from First Pase)
mittee with instructions to bring In amended estimates tonight

mittee with instructions to bring in amended estimates tonight
 The alderman called attention to numerous foreclosures of properties. many of them to satisfy bad tax &C., counta He said that budget making Is purely a case of guesswork. illus trating his point by mentioning transfers from certain accounts which were found to have large bal ances to others in less healthy con- dition. Thousands of persons owning their own homes are hard pressed to meet their obligations, he said. and he forecast more foreclosure ac- tions if the high tax rate is permit ted to stand.
 Analyzes Increases
 That the costs of carrying the city's debt obligations has not con- tributed to the increase in rate was proved by the alderman by introduc- ing the figures of this year and last which show $37.000 less set aside TOT payments on principal. Much of the increase in the budget comes he said, from the following higher ap- propriations: Board of public works. s10s,00o; police. sS9,O0o; fire, $17,- 900: New Britain Institute, S10.000: parks, s4o,000. There are about 3o other items increased in lesser amounts. the alderman asserted.
 Alderman Johnson repeated his defense Of the councils action Of last year in cutting the appropriations or the board of finance by pointing 10 the fact that balances on hand Feb- ruary IS, were more than $7o.oo0 greater than on the same date last year.
 .sss Zapatka Criticizcs Colleagues
 Alderman Zapatka voiced opposi- ton to the proposal that the finance committee make the amendments claiming that the four to two re- publican membership on that con- mjttee Is unfair He went definitely on record in opposition to any cut in the department of public works confessing that he had ''learned his lesson" last year when this branch of the city government was curtail- ed. His interest in appropriations is increased by the fact that his sec ton of the city will be hardest hit by whatever is done. he insisted.
 The alderman launched an attack on his colleagues who. few months ago, favored an appropriation Of s540.00o for an addition to the senior high school. remarking:
 Some of those who want to cut one mill now, came here few months ago and voted for school bond issue which was the equivalent Of five mills. IT this movement is to provide campaign material for men who are coming up for reelection In the spring. I don't want to have any nart in it, and I won't work with them," he announced.
 Judd Defends Council
 Prefacing his remarks with | ratement that he feels free to speak ~inca he is not a candidate for re. nletion. Alderman William H. Judd, aid he did not vote for the reduce ton last year, but that he cannot see where the common council can be held responsible for the increase this year. He insisted that the school committee received enough through it's regular appropriation and the special levy of one-nili; that the board of public works had about the same amount of money to spend as it had in former years: and that the policf department not only carried on with Ghe amount allowed. but also saved enough to buy two cars for which no appropriation was made.
 Although in the public eye. the council is blamed for the increase. the finance board chairman dis claims, any such statement and the figures belle it, the alderman de- clared.
 That opposition to the increase of two mills is citywide, was frankly admitted by the alderman. He urged that no cuts be made merely for the