The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-03-27
Public Hearing On
 City Charter To-day
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old charter is no good. I also be- lieve some are advocating a city manager form of government.
 From three or four people have learned that they are in favor of the city manager form of government But in my opinion the rank and file of the city are satisfied with the present method of city government and with the way things are being handled.
 However, realizing that the old charter Tn some respects is obsolete, have had it revised by my legal staff. The new charter prepared is Ian up-to-date one and one consist ent with the times and the size of the city of Waterbury"
 Mayor Hayes then pointed out that the new charter that his legal staff has drawn up gives the mayor stronger power, changes the terms of the works, finance and school boards. eliminates the seniority rule in the police department, places the town clerk on salary basis, pro- vides for the naming of an auditor, eliminates the mandatory paving and school taxes and so on.
 "Most important of the features of the new charter. said Mayor Hayes, fare the provisions to elimin- ate annual cash deficits. At the
 present time tax collections start on
 May 1st. Any money on the preced- ing year that comes in after January 1st cannot go into the city treasury but must be diverted into the sur plus resource sinking fund.
 There is no reason why this | money should not go into the gen. eral Repositories. of the city. There. fore, the new charter provides that moneys received up to May 1st of the ensuing year goes into the general treasury. Then, after May 1st the back taxes will go into the surplus resource sinking fund.
 Already $150,000 in back taxes for last year has been collected but under the present charter the money sinking fund. After October passes the tax collector begins to balance his books. This takes the greater part of November and then he has only De- cember to urge delinquents to pay up. The new charter would give him until the following May 1st to go after these delinquents so that the money would go into the general treasury and. thereby, safeguard against cash deficit for the year just past"
 Leading Citizens Present
 This afternoons public hearing was the largest gathering of citizens in the history of the municipal build- ing. Scores and scores were turned away. The aldermanic chamber was quickly filled and the overwhelming crowd overfiowed into the corridor.
 F. s. Chase of the Chase com panies. Inc, was finally squeezed in- to the aldermanic chamber along with John A. Coe of the American Brass company. Congressman D. w. Goss arrived with E. O. Goss of The former finally squeezed through the gathering of taxpayers but the latter was forced to remain in the corridor.
 Others seen at the gathering at a quick glance were ex-Governor Charles A. Templeton, Harry B. Dow. chairman of the charter com- mission, Republican Town Chair man Walter Deacon. Democratic Town Chairman John H. Crary, H. H. Hemingway of this city and Wa tertown. Attorney John H. Cassidy and so on. In fact, everybody of note in the city was at the gather ing together with many, many prom inent taxpayers.
 At 3 o'clock this afternoon, so great was the crowd clamoring for admission, that there was some talk of possibly adjourning the public hearing to the armory.
 
 Much interest in aviation is being