The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-17
Culhane Pension Act Causes Varying Opinions

The Culhane pension act, now the center of a controversy, was signed by the governor April 28, but con- tained a provision making its effec- tive date March 1.
 The full text of the act follows:
 SECTION l. CD There shall be a fund for the policemen and a fund for the firemen of said city, known as the "Policemen's Pen- sion Fund" and the "Firemen's Pension Fund.-" to which shall be- long: (a) All money and securities included in the funds existing in each department at the time Of the passage of this act; (b) all be- quests and donations, from public or private sources, to either de- partment on account of services rendered, or for the purpose for which the fund is established; Co five per cent of all fees collected on account of licenses issued to sell spirituous or intoxicating liquors within the city of Water. bury, to be paid into each of the above-named pension funds, until the "Policemen's Pension Fund" shall amount to the sum of sev- enty-fiye thousand dollars, and the "Firemen's Pension Fund" shall amount to the sum of seventy-tive thousad dollars, provided, when the funds of these departments shall respectively equal the aboVe- named sums, no more fees from licenses to sell spirituous or inc toxicating liquors within the city of Waterbury shall be paid into said funds, but shall be paid into the city treasury to be used for ordinary expenses, except, If the funds at any time shall fall be- low the sum of seventy-five thou sand dollars in the "Policemen's Pension Fund" and seventy-five thousand dollars in the "Firernens Pension Fund.-" the fees, to the amount of five per cent, collected on account of licenses 70 sell spir- ituous or intoxicating liquors within the city of Waterbury, shall be paid into such fund until the amounts above-named shall be reached, and the fees shall then cease to be paid, and revert to the city treasury; (d) all moneys or property presented to any mem- Der of either department on ac- count of special services, except such as may, by special vote Of the board of commissioners Of such department, and with the approval of the mayor, be retained by such member. (2 (a) Assess ments on the salaries Of all mem. bers of the police department and of all members of the firt depart lnent shall be at the rate of two per cent per annunn. payable monthly or quarterly as the trus- tees of such fund shall determine. (b) When the income referred to in section three of this act shall become insufficient to carry out the purpose and intent of the pro- visions of the policemen's and pension firemen's funds referred to there in, the board of finance shall, during the month of October in each year, in making up the esti- mates to be submitted to the board of aldermen in accordance with the provisions of the charter relative to the annual estimates and ap- propriations for the city of Wa terbury, cause to be set forth the amount or amounts of money in said estimates and appropriations necessary to carry out the purpose of said funds, respectively, and said estimates and appropriations shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the charter rel- ative to annual appropriations. Co The "Policemen's Pension Fund" shall also include all lost, aban- doned, unclaimed or stolen money in charge of the police depart- ment, and all moneys arising from the sale of lost, abandoned, un- claimed or stolen property in charge of said department. made