The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-02-19
U. S, BRITISH GIVE GROUND |N ITALY Airp0Wer Lacking, Troops Slide Back
City Has Largest Surpluso of Au-Time

S6433 was achieved by the City of Waterbury during 1943, according to figures announced at the office of City Controller Cornelius F. Maloney today. The figure exceeded that of year ago, when budget operations were $649, ,182.64 to the good.
 This is the fourth of a series of unusually large surpluses, as in 1941 the figure was $5o3,2 3,28031 and the previous year it had been $419, ,298.09.
 In announcing the surplus, which Is the highest in the municipal his- tory of Waterbury, Controller Ma loney pointed out that again condi- tions had been ideal for its achieve ment. Tax collections continued high throughout 1943 and many de- partmentS had unexpended balances, because of the inability to procure supplies or to obtain certain serv- ices.
 Unexpended balances accounted for approximately half of the sur- plus figure, while Controller Malo- neys figures showed that general property taxes were over-collected by more than $200,000. The actual unexpended balance of the 1943 pa- populations amounted to $365, ,811 27, while that of general property tax overcollections was $298, ,373.02.
 Other items oyer-collected were suspense taxes, $800.11; revenue from foreclosed property $9,54481; revenue from miscellaneous sources, $l6.321. A; revenue from sprinkling assessments (prior yeras) $201.67; estimatde revenue from Old Age taxes, $218.
 Ths following items were under collected estimate revenue from proper years general property taxes, $10326.36; revenue from Old Age taxes (prior years), $lo6; estimated revenue from street assessments, $2049.80; estimated interest and penalties on prior years taxes and assessments, S, ,33383.
 Estimated general property tax collections for 1943 were set up in the budget as $5,161, 200. Actually close to $sOo,OoO more than this was realized.
 Controller Maloney in announcing the figures warned of lean years to come and said that if present-day conditions should end abruptly high CT tax rates might result in order to prevent deficits occurring.
 He said:
 Tt is extremely gratifying to close the city's books for 1943 with budget operations surplus of $673,- 364.33, which, I believe, is the high est in WaterburyS history. Any municipality should be proud of the fact that it can operate $6,000,000 budget and end the year with more than half million surplus. That Waterbury has been able to achieve such a record in recent years is due to good management and also to conditions imposed by the war.
 T should point out. that this $600.000 surplus is not completely available, as last fall when the 1944 budget was being prepared an item of $329,088.01 was included as the estimated surplus for 1943. ConSe- quently any current surplus that could be used must be computed in this fashion-$677, ,374 8 less $329,. O8801 or $344, 4,276.32, which can be allocated to the city's postwar fund upon proper action of the Boards of Finance and Aldermen.
 T could mention many instances in which the city was unable to pro- cure needed supplies or services. Many normal civic operations have been curtailed or completely elimin- ated as result of shortage of both products and manpower. These e&c.crs have contributed towards Gaexpended balances within the ,s&s=snl city departments. At the saS1e time conditions have been ex- txemely ideal for heavy tax collec- tions.
 This is a good time to point out that although people are getting the benefit of good times in the form of surpluses which permi lower tax rates, such conditions may end sud- denly and may require increased tax rates"
 The largest unexpended balance among the several city departments was that of Street Department, $81,- 618.01 out of total appropriation of $625, ,007.93. Closely approximat- ing that was the $61. .439.49 balance in the Welfare Deartment, whose original appropriation was $264.- D58.53.
 Other unexpended items were shown by the Comptroller General Financial, $58,573.74; Legal $23.- 622.95; Engineering, $12,431.17; Po- lice $24;886. .93; Fire, $12.48285; Edu- cation, $24,012.66.