The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-05-08

The bill provides "that the
 State or any municipality or
 any two or more municipalities
 jointly may establish, maintain
 and operate an airport at any
 location approved by the Com
 mission and by the town or
 towns within which said airport
 is to be established"
 Senator Egan seeks revision of tahe clause by substituting the word Hor" instead of "and", preceding the phrase, "by the town or towns"
 Although this is not the equiVal- ent of eminent domain for land &C., uuisition, which is not included in tlae bill, it does constitute the elim- lnation of obstacles toward the eity's airport site.
 Waterbury has plans for con-
 structiOn of an airport, part of
 which will be in WOlcOtt. The
 authorities of the latter town
 last year defeated the city when
 the latter sought the right to
 acquire by condemnation the land in question.
 Referring to the same change in the bill, in which is cited mu- ndcipality or any two or more Jolnt- ly. it is noted that the city's pro- posed airport activities would be participated in by Meriden and Bristol.
 State Capitol, Hartford, May g. Hearings on the two revaluation va lidating bills introduced yesterday ln the General Assembly in behalf Of the city of Waterbury and the Wa terbury Council of Community Clubs, respectively, got underway shortly after 2 P. M. today before the Finance Committee at the State Capitol.
 At press time the general OuiniOn among those present at the CapitOI was that the Clubs bill would suffer defeat. This belief was promised on some substantial reasoning and some mere rumOr.
 Supporting the theory of victory for the city's bill is the fact 1t IS supported by the Waterbury Repuo- hcan Party as well as the admins tration. It was learned yesterday among COP adherents at the Capi- tol that the Republicans insisted on various phases being injected into the revised act submitted by the city. Present yesterday at the open ing of the scheduled 10-day session was Richard D. Bensen, COP town chairman, who actively watched the progress of the bill as it was carried to the floors of both houses by local Democratic legislators. It is known that he advised House COP leaders Lea Marsh and Sen. Raymond Brock of the local COP intent.
 What is taken as an indication of further support for the city bill is the fact Attorney William H. Blodg- cit, legislative representative for the Community Clubs, sought to have the measures come before the Committee on Cities and BoroughS. This is viewed as a ShoW-of-hand on his part prompted probably, by his belief that the Finance Commit tee does not view the Councils bill with too much favor.
 The history of the two bills is
 interesting. Attorney BlOdg-
 ett, it was reported yesterday at
 the Capitol, appeared before the
 Legislative Council few days
 ago and asked that his bill be
 accepted and presented. The
 Council is said to have turned
 down the request and MT.
 BIOdgett (fOrmer State tax com
 missiOner) walked out of the session leaving the bill behind.
 .--::iss plus previous happenings, ;e71ched the growing belief held by the Legislative Council that the Wa terbury valuation matter was a question of many men, many minds" and should be introduced solely as a Waterbury issue.
 Waterbury legislators in both houses introduced the city's bill, but the Community Councils bill was introduced in the House (by re- quest) by Rep. Henry H. Hunt ot New Haven, chairman of the Legls- lative Council.
 The city bill was very much
 revised from the original intent
 first disclosed to the Legislative
 Council a couple of weeks ago
 when it was requested that the
 measure be included on the < agenda of the session. Briefly it's
 principal request asks that a
 special session of the Board of
 Tax Review be held from June
 10 to Aug. l. It also seeks vali-
 dating of any technical errors or
 omission resulting from the
 much rushed property revalua-
 tiOn and it's subsequent "cOn-
 fusion"
 Perhaps the most newsworthy phase of today's issue at hearing time is the fact the Waterbury Re- pnblicans are supporting the ad- ninistration's bill This indicates more than just political support as it is also indicative of strength con- tributed by influential members of the party who seldom, if ever, are seen m the open political front of