The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-01
Distortion Of Facts Credited
 To Wn. J. Pape ByMayor Hayes
Tax Bills Read as Evidence of Actual Rate Reduce
 ton; Names Given

mills to 2e.7 mills. Why has the opposition suppressed these fig- ures? The answer is easy. They would reflect credit on the ad- ministration and that would never do.
 But what does the reduction in Waterbury's tax rate mean7 It means that the administration has just go much less money to carry on the city's business. As a result of lowering your tax rate, my administration has de- prived itself of the use of over seven million dollars. Because we have reduced your tax rate you are being asked to vote against the Democratic ticket. If we had left the rate as 1t was, you would have been asked to vote against the Democratic ticket because we did not reduce 1t. What the opposition is really asking you to do is penalize us for cutting down your tax bills.
 Fair Question
 And now let me ask you a fair question. Keeping in mind the decrease in the city's income, have you noticed or felt any real decrease in the service we have given you? Is' the police de- partment less efficient in guard ing your homes? Have you any increased fear for your safety because we have curtailed the fire department? Is the health department doing worse work than 1t did in the past? The aIl- swer must be in the negative.
 In spite of the reduction in the city's income, my adminis- tration has improved conditions. We have increased or extended our water mains by over forty eight thousand feet.
 We have built oyer seventeen thousand feet of sanitary sewers.
 We have built over forty-one thousand feet of storm sewers.
 And not one inch of sewer pipe has been purchased by any individual despite the editorial in this mornings Republican.
 We have laid over sixteen thousand feet of curbing.
 We have laid over forty thou sand square yards of paving. {. Despite every slanaerous statement to the contrary we have done much more than our share in taking care of the city's needy.
 In doing all these things, we have not increased the city's in- debtedness.
 Despite the signed statement of MT. Burrall in Sundays Re- publican, we have reduced the city's indebtedness almost four million dollars.
 There is no more time to- night to go into all the details of the work done and the work planned for. These details will be discussed by other speakers on our radio program.
 Common Sense
 In concluding, permit me to sound personal note. It IS an argument based upon com mon sense.
 You all know that I am, like yOurBelVeb, II thA payOh' @S not to my interest to reduce the tax rate as much as 1t can be done and still maintain the city's obligations in the matter of service? Am I not helping myself when help you and am not hurting myself if hurt you? Does it stand to reason that I, as Mayor of the city, would countenance or permit a policy of wastefnlness, ex- travagance, and ipcfficiency on the part of my administration when az a taxpayer would be paying for 1t the same as any or you who are listening to me. It does not make sense. You know it, I know it, and the opposing candidates know 1t. But they must have something to talk about.
 I repeat that my administra- ton stands on the record of It's achievements. We have nothing to hide and nothing to be ashamed of. On tho contrary, we have Q great deal of which to be proud. It is for what we have done for you that we ask you to pull the top lever next Tuesday and re-elect the entire nopn ocratir ticket