The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-05
Controller Leary Exposes
 FalSity Of C. o. P. Charges

controllers office was the pur- chase of ali city supplies. The opposition. has tried to make huge Ncapital out of that. The controllers office is supposed to be shovelling out your money without the slightest regard for prices. No intelligent person believes such rot. What are the facts?
 Controllers Duties
 As controller I have to expend about five and half million dol- lars of your money each year. Ninety per cent of that amount goes to pay fixed expenses such as bond redemption, interest. wages, salaries, pensions, state and military taxes. It also in- cludes certain contractual obli- gations such as light, power and insurance. These obligations are fixed and there Is no question of price in the payment of them.
 The remaining ten per cent goes to purchase supplies of all kinds for all the city departments. use the same method in purchas- ing that Is used in all the indus- trial plants of the city. They do not advertise the purchase of nor the price of every scrap of material. Our administration does not hire a brass band to an- nounce the purchase of a lead pencil. We do what the factories do. We do what every house. wife does. We shop for prices and we buy at the lowest possi- ble figure consistent with quail ity.
 Another persistent charge made against the controller is that I have issued optimistic statements which misled the people of the city. There were no optimistic statements made by me unless you want to call "optimistic" statement that things were improving. Anyone who has been in charge of the finances of any city the last six years could scarcely be an op- timist.
 WearIsome Task
 The necessity of keeping ahead financially 50 as to be able to meet weekly payrolls has been a task so worrisome and difficult that 1t Is q wonder that every controller in America, who sur vived the depression, isn't con- firmed pessimlst.
 You all know from your own personal experience how difficult it has been in the past to find the money to pay the rent bills and the butcher and the baker. And you know how worried and fearful you were when it seemed impossible to do it.
 Magnify your own personal worries to the dimensions of those of the paymaster of a city of the size of Waterbury and you will have some idea of the controllers job.
 In spite of every obstacle, however, no teacher, no fire man, no policeman, and no city empl0ye of whatever classifica-
 
 their pay postponed a moment during the six years I have been in office.
 Nor has the city been plunged into debt to meet those and other obligations. The achievement has been made possible by vlgi- lance, efficiency, and honesty. It q a a n hk hn proud of having done. I am proud of 1t. It meant not only salaries for those who had earned them. It meant ease of mind for those dependent on sal ary earners.
 Pull The Top Lever
 And 1t meant everything to the merchants, the tradesmen and the business men who serve the city. Tn this work I have had and am deeply grateful for the encouragement, the help, and the counsel of the mayor and the board of finance. That help has been invaluable. It has been typical of Mayor Hayes entire administration, an administra- ton devoted to guarding the city's interests and to service to the taxpayers regardless of party or race or creed. The record of that administration Is the reason why 1t should be returned to office. It Is the reason why you should pull the top lever next Tuesday. It Is the reason why the Democratic party should be continued In office for another two years.