The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-18

ming in 1850. It was one of five such amendments instituted by the House and due to come up again for action in 1945.
 Another of these constitutional amendments would provide an- nual sessions of the Legislature and still another increases the salary of legislators to $500 per annum, which is double the pres ent rate. Another group of cities that would be affected by 8 change to 0dd-year elections is Msriden, Willimantic, Putnam, and Rockville, where they elect in December. There should be con- siderable interest in the Meriden election next year, because Mayor Francis R. Danaher will probably be the only member of his fam
 fly in public office at the time.
 His father, the former Labor
 Commissioner, resigned to cam paign a few weeks ago; his broth
 CT, the Senator, will retire in Jam uary,
 Best information now seems to corroborate the fact that Water bury will not experience tax rate increase in 1945. This is always well come news to the taxpayers. It should be doubly SO right now, be- cause in other municipalities the trend is upward in the tax rate. Hartford jumped its rate; New Ha- ven Republicans wanted to raise the rate there, but Democrats refused to go along with them. A year from now the situation may be quite dif- ferent here in Waterbury and tax jump unqueStioned. However, the results of the property revaluation survey now going on will determine the 1946 tax rate to a considerable degree. If the revaluation increases the grand list, as so many public officials seem to think it will, then there may be no need of tax rate increase, as the increased valuation will automatically provide the addi- tional funds for budgetary purposes.
 There are 2 number of factors, though, that could easily upset budget plans for 1945. And fore- most among them is the subject O9 city pensions. There seems to be growing feeling among some employees and officials that it would be wise not to do anything about the existing plans. That would mean ample protection for the police and fire departments. At least the members think 1t would. Actually it wouldn't! Am- pie protection for any of Water bury's city employees, so far as pension rights are concerned, won't be provided, until the city has put any and all systems on an actuarial basis and set up sufii- cfent reserves to meet current and future payments. To do this the city may have to Obligate itself annually for many years to come to one or two mills of the tax rate.
 Political chaff Wonder if efforts of candidates to get voters to cut their tickets for them work out For example, Senator John A. Danaher sent out thousands of postcards to Democratic voters in an effort to stem the tide of opposition to his candidacy. Yet he ran far behind his ticket. Last weeks headlines are certainly stale. And how about those of last September-Ickes, Miss Perkins to Lose Cabinet Jobs If Dewey Wins. Still this may not be too far of. Miss Perkins is be- lieved to. be ready now to leave the Roosevelt cabinet after long years of holding the job while her reSigna- ton lay on the Presidents desk. Before the campaign they were talking about wooden buttons, but nl1 that circulated through Water bury were metal. Judging by the de- inand from the factories for Roose- VeIt buttons the president should have Won by a laudslide in Water t1lS. but the results sort of belle fbsf pre- election demand.