The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-11-13
Politics
III
Passing

~O0
Tax anticipation notes may be
eliminated In Waterbury's financial
program for 1914, If budget makers
and others concerned with the city's
fiscal policies can squeeze through
the critical early months Of the new
year. Last year the city borrowed
$500 600 In anticipation Of taxes. the
smallest amount loaned waterbury
IN years for such a purpose. The
year before It was an even 81 ,000,-
600. Under the law of averages this
coming year the tax anticipation
notes might conceivably have dwin-
died as low as $500, 900. And Of course
that amount may still be necessary
to kelep city finances on an even kee
before 1944s tax returns start to
materialize. But-right at the pres
ent moment City Controller c. F.
Maloney is keeping close watch
on daily receipts and expenditures
and Is compiling program that
might bring the city up to May,
1o44, without the need Of borrow
ang. It all depends on the size of
end -the-year expenditures and
the bond redemptions in the early
part Of 1914.
A good many years ago Water
bury, like most Of our C0nnecti-
cut municipalities and towns, con-
sidered seriously abandoning the
policy Of borrowing in anticipa-
ton Of taxes. The proposition had
been placed before the towns as
result of a survey conducted in
behalf Of a uniform tax and fiscal
year. In other words II was pro-
posed that tax due dates be
changed so that they would coin
eide with the beginning Of the
fiscal year rather than fall in the
middle Of 1t. At that time the
change involved heavy borrowing
ON Waterbury's part and as in
terest rates were pretty high off,
Gals decided against the change.
It's still good government, though,
and some day Waterbury should
adopt the plan.
Too bad that Waterbury couldn't
have solved its aldermanic equality
of votes as they did in Hartford.
Up there there was no special cleo
ton, although the city charter spe-
officially provides for one in the
event Of a tie vote. But the city
fathers discussed the matter thor
oughly, then handed it over to the
Democratic Town Committee, mas
much as the candidates were both
Democrats. Here the laborious and
expensive task of setting up election
machinery had to be followed 0ut.
It might not have been legal for the
local Republican Town Committee
to solve the tie between Aldermen
William Gerard and George Kings
ton, but how simple this would
have been-and inexpensive.
Incidentally, Republican cam
paign talk pops up now that the
special election is over and Al
derman Gerard assured of q place
ON the board. One of the claims
Of School Commissioner John
Kearney was that Democratic ad-
,ministration Of civic affairs was
not economical. Well, here was a
golden chance for Republicans to
put into practice the claims they
advanced. They could have
agreed on some method Of de-
Gliding the tie vote which would
mot have involved the expense Of a
city election. The issue was theirs:
they alone could decide 1t. And
they did. And fears Of invalidity
are still expressed as far away as
Hartford where Moe Berkman,
Hartford Times political writer,
points out such possibilities.
Commenting on the November
elections In Connecticut William j.
Walsh of the Bridgeport Post says:
e. Only In Waterbury did Dem
ocrats make what could be con-
sidered a good showing under all
circumstances The victory OF
Mayor Monagan in Waterbury was
credited largely to the generalship
OF j. Francis Smith, former Demo-
cratic state chairman, and repre-
scented q good showing since Mr..
Monagan was making his first cleo
tive bid for the Office. beset with
fractional troubles within his own
party and faced with a former DEM
ocrat as his Republican opponent
The years election returns rank
Waterbury as the outstanding Dem
ocratic city in the state and this
fact, along with the falling apart OF
the Old Guard wing and the rise OF
Senator Maloney to state leadership
IN recent months, is expected to
bring Mr.. Smith back into the state
picture, quite possibly as guberna-
&orial candidate, some think.
The Democratic Party of Wa
y terbury still has an adjourned
Town Convention to call to order.
Town Chairman Maurice F.
Tangney, however, who was
chairman Of the convention when
Il made necessary nominations for
the recent election, Is known to
be In no great hurry for this ses-
sion. When 1t Is held, though,
there may be requests for num-
Der Of changes in the party laws,
a. well as correction of what now
appears to be inequalities in ward
representation on convention
delegations. The size Of Water
bury's wards voting population has
shifted considerably in recent
years and as q result there are
now too many delegates allowed
in some instances and too few
in others.
Too much hasn't been said about
the plan to have a New York con-
ssay.vp taka OVor tho inh 0f rNiihlicizit1O