The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-09
Validating Act
Bills Reviewed
CcOntlnued from Page d

rom Page u
missed on the revaluation, the Mayor
cited this as indicative there was
no majority objection to the in
creases.
II urge the adoption Of the adj
ministration bill as indicative Of
legal process, the Mayor conclud-
ed.
Atty. Fitzgerald, special counsel
then took the floor for general sum-
nation of the administration
arguments. After speaking a while
ne was interrupted by Atty. Blod-
get, counsel for the Council, who
urged brevity but the latter was
overruled by Chairman Spellman
who said "the committee is gen.
erouS with its time. CThe session
lasted from Q p. M. to 6 p. M
Atty. Fitzgerald, in a precise, or
derly and affirmative delivery, cited
the administrations bill as q means
Of orderly procedure" seeking
valuation of already legislative APP
proved measures, much in the man
ner of the custom of biennial ses-
sions of the legislatures when such
validating acts are a matter Of
routine. Our bill is not unusual in
that effect" he said.
Citing Section of the bill, which
provides for measures insuring that
certain technical errors on the part
OF the assessor will not be invalidat-
ed, Atty. Fitzgerald argued that this
means did not deprive the taxpayers
OF intrinsic rights.
He then began review of events
leading up to the controversy and
dating back from the time of the
approval by the governor of the as
SCISSORS bill which was granted July
II, 1915.
On July 18-one day later
Chief Assessor Aldro jerks took
Office" he said The Grand List
for l945, according to law, had to be
submitted by Jan. l, 1916, he con-
tlnued, and it is obvious to all that
this would be gigantic task in
view of the late date at which the
assessor assumed Office"
In view of these circumstances
the assessor had one of two choices
he might reuse the old assess
ment which he knew by experience
las former member of the state
tax commissioner ohice) was
loaded with inequalities" or he
could accept the revaluation pro-
posed by the Koran Company which
ne knew was a forward step toward
balancing such inequalities. He
chose the latter because his is
fortnight nature"
AS there were 5000 cards in the
grand list, he said, no one could
make an individual abstract or
COOK. abstract and file it by Jan.
as the law requires. This is one
OF the errors claimed by the Com
muplty Clubs and one which the
clty's validating act would heaD.
However, he said, the cards were
available. for inspection after Jan.
/, and gave more information than
an abstract. By March n a COM
plete book-form abstract was on
ME he said. He emphasized that
the CLUBS suit was based on tech
nlcalities and made mo allegation
OF any over-aSseSsnent.
Referring to the failure to file
an abstract, Atty, Fitzgerald de-
clared such protest to be super
nclal." He supported his contention
oy pointing out that no one tax
payer ever protested the failure to
flle the abstract which he said, was
indicative OF the "superf1ciality" of
the protest. He again declared the
failure to be but a technical error.
he referred to the court suits en-
tered by the Council and Atty. John
Cassidy and referred to them as
'exaggerations of technical ommis-
slons." In. urging the support of the
Administrators bill he asked that
the compittee consider that it rep
resented the majority of the people
and not a small aggrieved minor
ity.'
Mr.. Pape then addressed the
committee and declared that he
had instituted the original re-
valuation. He said that a check
by him of 5000 to 10000 revalu-
ated properties revealed that
increases exceeded purchase
prices or sale prices but were
uniform" The uniformity offset
the increases he declared as he
asked support Of the admins
tratiOnS bill.
Atty. UpsQn said it was first time
he had ever supported an admin
istration bill"
Mr.. Bensen, who delivered a res
olutlon of the COP. party as to its
support, said some regrettable
errors had been made that made it
dlftcult for the taxpayers but felt
that the special session Of the Tax
Review Board would Offset these.
Mr.. Brophy said that his COM
mittee on revaluation felt that the
best possible job had been done
unoer the circumstances.
In brief address Atty. Blodget
then undertook the presentation of
the Councils contentious. Challeng-
ing the integrity" of the revalua-
ton he revealed that the Council
mao undertaken its own spot re-
valuation having hired Mccarthy of
new Britain as valuator He then
introduced photos of Waterbury