The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-04-07

go down, the bonded indebtedness
 would be lowered, and that the roads would be improved, all made
 by advocates of the city manager
 form of government in 6tratford, were not kept. On the contrary, the
 tax rate was increased. the bonded
 indebtedness was more than doubled and more money was spent on roads
 with no appreciable improvement.
 said Miss Margaret Mary Bowes. of Stratford, one of the speakers at the meeting of the Women's Demi- cratic club held at the city hall yes- terday afternoon at which Attorney John H. Cassidy and ex-Mayor Will liam F. Thoms spoke.
 Miss Bowes illustrated her talk with figures based on the time the party system was in effect in Strat- ford and since the city manager form has been in operation.
 Her talk follows:
 'In october 1921,. approximately nine years ago. the council-manager form of government went into enect in Stratford.
 For some months previous to the installation of the plan, the advo-
 cates of the city manager form went among the people of Stratford. tell ing them of tho fine points of the plan and what 1t would accomplish;
 due to good salegmanship on the part of the city-manager enthusiasts l the idea was sold to the voters or Stratford. One of the principle sell ing points was a question that is very near to every voter and resident I of city. It is the tax rate, because | the tax rate affects every one in the city whether he be 8 property owner or not, for the tenant must pay more rent when taxes are high and even 1 the consumer must pay more for his purchases (whether they be necessi- ties or luxuries) when taxes rise. The city manager advocates promised the
 voters of Stratford 6 50 per cent re-
 duction in taxes wher the new plan
 would be put into effect, this was
 very interesting indeed and many
 were anxious to try it out.
 | II have few figures which l
 should like to submit to you for your
 consideration. 1 believe they will
 show very conclusively how near the
 city manager form came to fulfilling the promises, which sold It to the
 people of Stratford.
 "The figures I will give you will
 be averages for period of years l unueT IuG tyP0 oh | previous to the era of the city-man- ager form, namely from 1914 to
 1922; also for a period of years of the present system since its installa-
 ton from 1922 to 1929.
 | Under the old system the aver
 age tax rate was I'll mills for a
 period of years.
 | "Under the new plan the average
 tax rate from 1922 to 1929 was 2G.7
 mills an increase of approximately l 70 per cent and to-day tho tax rate
 Is 20 mills, with indications that 1t ] will .go higher not lower.
 I "rhe next item of interest Is the
 bonded debt, (the amount of money
 that the city borrows). The average bonded debt from 1909 to 1922 was | $522,OO0.
 "For the next seven years from
 1922 to 1929, under the city manager
 system the average bonded debt has
 been $1,200,000 and on January l. 1881 the bonded debt was $1,439.O0O. 'In 1914 the amount spent on the town roads was 5000. In 1929 the
 amount spent was $75,750 and there
 has been no great increase in the
 length of roads for which the town l must care.
 we have had the idea very l ISLTOHBly lIHpIeoocu OH uo tudt tuib Ao
 n very business like form of govern
 ment and since 1t is supposedly based
 on good business principles we look
 for reduction in expenses, in cost of operation and n reduction of waste that Is attributed to the politician but does not belong to the efficient business plan of tho city manager.
 Again let us turn to figures to find
 out how much the plan did towards reducing the cost of government. We
 will compare the grand list and the
 cost of government for a period from
 1914 to 1929. During this time the
 grand list increased 500 per cent. | During the same time the expense
 of running the government increased 800 per cent. The increase in cost
 was 300 per cent In excess to the in-
 crease in the growth in value of the
 town, (the source of revenue) there- fore higher taxes were necessary. | T believe that these few figures
 are sufficient to provoke thought and
 serious thought before one Is sold on 1! the idea that the city manager plan 1 will reduce taxes, will reduce debt,
 will reduce cost of government. It
 has failed to accomplish any of these
 things in Stratford.
 As l stated previously the advo-
 cates of the system. when they were enthusiastically advancing 1t to the
 voters in Stratford. told them thnt they would have to pay only 60 cents
 for every $1.00 of tax they were then paying, but figures show that to-day
 they arc paying $1.70 approximately for every $1.00 they paid before. My friends these few figures tell q story of disappointment. We gave up tho old for the new and what 1t promised and experience has taught ttat its promises have amounted to naught. The city manager plan would reduce tho tax rate but after nine years trial 1t has increased ap- proximately 70 per cent.--It would reduce the bonded debt. but that has increased approximately 56h per cent. It would reduce the cost of government but that also has in- creased 800 per cent while the value of the towns source of income has increased only 500 per cent.
 Tt Is reasonable to assume that what happens once may be repeated. So consider well before you abandon your present government for a new one with many promises of business efficiency being introduced into gov- ernment, lest you have the same ex- perience that we had in Stratford. We might consider for Q moment the general outline of this system. The only elective office In which the voter has an opportunity to have q voice in the government Is in the office of council man. In Stratford we have nine districts, each represented by one councilman, making . council of nine members. The council adopts ordinances, resolutions and other I measures pertaining to the operation of the government. however ali ad- ministrative functions are carried out by the town manager. who they ap- point and his subordinates, whom
 he appoints.
 .,I,ha council anpointa the town.