The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-11-25

tion opposed this request, and it is understood that the Board of Ft- nance has eliminated it.
 The Taxpayers Association is full- ly in accord with the request that firemen be allowed one day off during each week. It is felt however, that to accomplish this, additional employees are not necessary. Not only is 1t felt that increased expen- ditures at this time should be dis couraged, but in addition it is be- lieved that in view of the large amount which Waterbury pays for fire protection in comparison to other cities, some further reduc- ticn should be possible. We are in- formed that a reduction in the number of firemen, so long as 1t is not reduced below the accepted standard, will not hurt the city's insurance rating.
 It should be noted that the City of New Haven has recently closed two of its fire stations and that its budget for 1941 provides for a re- duction in the cost of salaries of its Police Department of $54, 10000, and of its Fire Department of $29, ,000.00 Net departmental savings were how ever decreased to $37 ,500.O0 and $6,- 60O.00 respectively, due to increased expenditures for equipment and added contributions to retirement funds.
 In the course of this investigation, 1t has developed that Waterbury has, from the Underwriters, @ rat ing lower than that of Hartford, New Haven, or Bridgeport, and that Waterbury pays more per capita for the operation of its Fire Depart ment. The Taxpayers Association has recommended to our City Ad- ministration that application be made for a new survey of Water bury by the Underwriters for the purpose of learning what should be done to secure higher rating which would result in a material reduction in the premium on every stock company fire insurance pol icy in the city. Such a survey can be obtained without cost to the city. The recommendation was favorably accepted, and we are told that a request for such a survey will be made.
 Comparative statistics cannot be used as the sole basis in determin- ing the amount which should be spent for police and fire protection, since other factors, such as area, topography, traffic problems, hous- ing conditions, etc., have bearing upon the needs for such protection. Comparative statistics can, how ever, be used as guide, and if a city is found to be paying a sub Stantially higher price per capita for a governmental function, there should be adequate reasons why the excess expenditures are neces- Sary.
 We want and need police and fire departments sufficient to give pro- tection to our persons and our prop erty. No two communities are iden- tical and the necessary cost of pulp lict safety varies from city to city. No recommendation is made that any formula should be followed ar- bitrarily. On the other hand, our taxpayers and our citizens have a right to a dollars worth of service for every dollar they spend, and 1t seems rather unreasonable that Waterbury should spend about $1 30 f0r what the average of every city in this country in our population class gets for $l.00.
 It is doubtless true that the police and fire departments of number of cities in the United States are under manned and ill-equipped. This pertains particularly to such cities as are far below average in man power and public safety expen- iitures. It does not equally apply to all cities as are far above the av- craze, as is the case in Waterbury. It is also true that in this period of national emergency, police and fire departments must be prepared to render service with the maximum efficiency. We do not feel however that this can be used as justifi- cation for the spending of Substan- tially more for this efficiency than the average in other comparable cities in the United States, and 1t is our belief that the ability of a department to cope with emergen- cies of all types cannot be measur- ed by the number of men or the amount of the departments ex- penditures. but rather by the efffec- tiveness in operation of the depart ment. It is felt that 6 long range program should pc inaugurated which will evenutate in o substan- tial reduction in police and fire ex- penditures, thereby bringing Water- bury into line with the average of other comparable cities in the Unit- ed States.
 The recommendations of the Tax payers Association call for eventual reductions Ia the cost of both the Police and Fire Departments. It is believed that fl this were done, there would be no real loss in effl- clencv or lack of i,rOtActiOn. The