The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-23

Should any amendment to tht referendum bill, even 8 minor one be adopted by the senate today the bill must necessarily be sent back to the house. In such a case ano with only two legislative weeks re- maining in the 1899 session there is a very great possibility that the referendum measure would be killed by non-action. The bill, as it came into the senate today, had been passed by the house.
 Republican leaders urged unani- nous support from Republican sen- ators for the bill. In the Demo- cratic caucus, held prior to the opening of the days session Demo- cratic State Central Committee Chairman J. Francis Smith of Wa terbury participated.
 The Waterbury city manager ref erendum bill had 8 long and check cred history before today. It was the cause of intra-party dissension among both Republicans and Dem- ocrats, at Waterbury as well as at Hartford.
 Filing of the city manager bill climaxed 8 campaign by the Citi- zenS' Good Government association the same organization which earlier had filed suit for $600.000 against former Controller Daniel J. Leary on the ground that he was respon- sible for alleged over-expenditure of the city budget between 1880 and 1887.
 The officers of the Good Govern ment association, after study oi the situation, decided that the City of Waterbury needed a drastic change in it's system of govern ment. After investigation, the city manager system was chosen, and the proposed charter, it was de- cided, would be based on the city manager charter proposed by the charter commission in 1929-30. But later developments led to severa, changes quite different from the charter suggested 10 years ago, g charter, incidentally, which was moi adopted. Instead, in 1881, the legis- lature approved the so-called strong mayor" charter. Waterbury had been governed under that char. ter since 1891. Amendments of- fered this year by Senator Culhane would give the mayor even stronger powers under the present charter.)
 ''Not Rejected"
 The referendum bill was drawn up in such a way that it included the text of the proposed charter the bill stating, in effect, that its contents (the city manager charter) should become effective if mot re- jected" by the people of Waterbury at a referendum. The mot reject ed" claus was placed in the bill said Good Government association leaders, to forestall any attempt te kill the charter simply by not hold ing any special election. Under the wording adopted, a referendum would have to be held to defeat the charter or it would be automatically adopted.
 Late in January, Rep. Hugo Guas- toferri, an officer of the Good Gov ernment association, filed House Bills 400 and 401. One is the char ter referendum bill the other an administrative code which would be effective only if the charter should be adopted by Waterbury voters.
 The referendum bill was referred to the cities and boroughs commit tee for study. A public hearing on the measure was held in the hall oi the house, with several hundred persons attending. The proponents of the city manager plan were led by Harold F. White, president of the Citizens Good Government as- sociation.
 Assuming virtual control of the hearing, MT. White told the mem- bers of the committee that the vot- CTS of Waterbury favored the city manager charter and urged that they be given the opportunity to express themselves at the polls Other speakers also spoke for the bill.
 Senator Culhane had an opportu- nity to speak only briefly on the bill. and when pressed by its supports as to his stand. said he'd "go along" on a referendum as provided in the text of the bill then at hand.
 Changes Made
 But soon thereafter began a series of changes in the text of the charter bill. First a concession was made to the vote-powerful teachers organ ization of Waterbury. The charter originally provided for a board of education to be appointed by the city manager and to act only in an ad- visory capacity. Teachers were to be placed under the regular merit sys- tenn along with other city employees. To avoid alternating the teachers. the charter was altered to provide for the election Of the board of edu- cation and for that boards reten-