The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-24

employing HOO men, throwing away a federal payroll amounting to about $139,000 monthly, creating relief burden figured at nearly $780, GOO for the months of April1-July 1, was the finance boards problem yesterday.
 In order to pay the city's share in in the WPA storm water and sani- tary sewer projects, the board was asked to provide $49,500. City En- gineer Charles A. Root and William E. Kennedy, supervisor of WPA here related the details of the necessity to the board.
 Appropriation
 Finally, it was devised that $39,- 800 would be recommended for transfer and appropriation by the aldermen, $6,500 of this from the re- volving sewer fund, the residue from the $133 300 balance of the relief contingency fund administered by the board of finance. The WPA off, cial and the city engineer were as- sured that the remaining $10,0O0 would be forthcoming, possibly from sewer assessments, before the three- months period concluded.
 MT. Kennedy informed the board that the government would have to be notified at once if Waterbury did not plan to continue WPA partici- patton. He estimated that there are about 1900 on WPA work here, l. 100 on the sewer projects alone. Figures were offered showing that $21 is the estimated cost of relief for @ family of five, and, on that sup position, the hypothetical cost of providing welfare for HOO families for three months amounts to $277,- 200. One of the commissioners doubted that the families would be that large"
 They're running smaller than they used to-" he said.
 Commissioner Major w. Judge had called for presence of the officials concerned with the WPA sewer pro- jects at the last meeting. The board has taken the stand that every pen- ny of expenditure must be watched and checked with the possibility even after all economy carvings that the welfare burden on the city will mean a considerable deficit later this year. The controller foresees necessity for laying special tax, according to his informal comment. A letter from Mayor Frank Hayes was read, in which he remarked that he felt the board would be criti- cized" should 1t fail to make provi- sion for continuance of the WPA work here, large payrolls for benefit of the merchants, relief of the well fare burden to considerable degree. |. Must Bear Blame
 Personally" the mayor wrote, T wouldn't allow this to happen. If the board allows it to occur, then the board must bear the blame"
 Discussion between Commissioner Judge, Aldermanic President Patrick M. Perriello, Commissioners John A. Hayden, Harley w. Tripp, Charles B. Jackson and the controller en- sued. The commissioners, generally, expressed opinion that the WPA work must be continued in as large degree as possible.
 Commissioner Judge commented that when the budget was devised the members of the board and conn., mittees had believed that business conditions would be better after the first of the year. This condition has failed to materialize, he remarked Thus, the budget for this year is in way of paralleling last years bud- get. found decidedly inadequate as 1888 progressed.
 The finance board has had to con- tend with political attempts to change various provisions of the budget, one the move of the Repub- lican aldermen, through the con- troller, to try transferring of the re- lief contingency fund under juris- diction of the finance board and the aldermen to the welfare depart ment Originally $170,00O, the fund amounted to $133, 300 yesterday be- fore $33,000 was approved for trans fer to the WPA work, subject to the aldermen.
 $133,O00 Needed
 Whether the aldermen, losing out in their latest endeavor of yester- day, through the controllers action in detailing unproportionately large expenditures in the welfare depart nent and report from that depart ment that "$133, ,000 will be necessary at the present ratio of expenditure, will tie up the transfers and appro- priation of the $39,500 at the Mon-