Tax Hikes May Be Needed to Balance Budget
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iianr^fst^r lEawtmg M? ralb MANCHESTER, CONN., FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1975- VOL. XCIV, No. 85 Manchester—A City of. Village Charm TWENTY PAGES PRICE: EIETEEN CENTS Gov, Grasso Still Opposes Income Tax Tax Hikes May Be Needed to Balance Budget HARTFORD (UPI) - Gov. Ella T. When asked whether she would request Mrs. Grasso also said there will be cuts “The problem now is to stay off the red.” Gaffney’s nomination by former Gov. millions is no easy task, but any Grasso, who campaigned on a pledge of no the Democratic-controlled legislature for in the state labor force, either through at Throughout the campaign against her state tax increases, today said some tax a tax increase for the remainder of the Thomas J. Meskill has been opposed by homemaker knows its the little savings trition or outright layoffs, although she Republican opponent, Robert H. Steele, the Connecticut Bar Association and he hikes may be needed in fiscal 1976 to present fiscal year, Mrs. Grasso said, ‘T declined to speculate on the number of and enough of them, that add up. Mrs. Grasso denied Steele’s charges the has been involved in the legislature’s balance the budget. have no intention to do so.” workers who will be affected. On Thursday, the day after her in Democratic platform contained many probe into irregularities in state leasing “I would think we have to look forward auguration, Mrs Grasso told her agency Deficit Forecast “I would think there would be some spending programs that would require tax practices. to some higher taxes,” she said in her firings,” she said. heads to start pruning their $1.07 billion in Her financial advisors have predicted a increases. Mrs. Grasso, like the thrifty housewife appropriation requests. maiden news conference at the State $200 million budget deficit by the end of He had called her “Spenderella.” Problem Acute concerned about rising inflation, has ‘"The days are over when state budgets Capitol, noting however she still is op fiscal 1976 because of falling state “Unfortunately the problem is im Plans Spending Cuts started tightening the pursestrings in her throughout the country produced sur posed to a state income tax. revenues and soaring government costs. mediate as well as long range,” she said. Mrs. Grasso said she plans to reduce household. pluses; when needed revenues were state spending in all areas, including The Connecticut Democrat’s domain is developed without trauma or strain,” she payrolls, energy conservation and funds the state of Connecticut, weighted under said. used for the publications of the various $58 million deficit in the current fiscal Later, she ordered the state transporta state agencies. year and confronted with a projected tion department to unload a state airplane She will make every effort to cut back deficit of $172.5 million next fiscal year. purchased just last year for $280,400 and government spending to avoid tax hikes, As a wife, mother, and now governor, used by aviation buff Gov. Thomas J. but if those efforts are not enough she will Mrs. Grasso, the daughter of an im Meskill. make sure the budget proposals are migrant Italian baker, has called for Plane To Be Sold presented to the public at a series of public "tough decisions and heroic sacrifice” in "A state plane is a luxury we cannot af an administration which she says will hearings, she said. ford at a time when the state faces a Gaffney Nomination “practices what it preaches.” critical budget situation. There’s no place So far, it is doing just that. Mrs. Grasso also said she has not for a state plane in an administration decided whether she will renominate No Easy Task that’s going to practice what it preaches,” former Republican State Chairman J. As the former congresswoman and Phi she said. Brain Gaffney to the state Superior Court. Betta Kappa economist knows, saving Regional Health District Pros and Cons Tabulated Town Manager Robert Weiss has taken provide the necessary level of service to municable disease control, health needs a middle of the road position on each town, a budget of $3.10 per capita assessment, data collection, analysis and Manchester joining neighboring towns in would be necessary. Each town would con dissemination; planning for future Y *'.. the formation of a Regional Health tribute $2.10 per capita with the state con programs; referrals to other agencies; ' - ’ H . _;^ri l.-ii.. - r -I District. tributing $1, according to a report by an ad health education; and clinics for im In a memo to the Board of Directors hoc committee to form such a district. munizations, well child conferences and Tliursday, he noted what he sees as the ad This regional committee has possible teen-age or adult clinics. vantages and disadvantages of the health recommended that a health district be es The district would stress its community Hartford Civic Center Officially Opened district to Manchester, which he says tablished as of July 1. health program, working closely with the should be evaluated by the board in The district’s responsibilites would public health nurses in case findings and Thousands of Capitol Region residents Campbell Concert Thursday night in making such a policy decision. divide into two major areas — community follow-ups of the .various diseases and ceremonies which featured Gov. Ella health and environmental health. thronged to Hartford Thursday to take the coleseum area’s -first formal Advantages Noted family health in terms of the well child Grasso, center, and Lt. Gov. Robert The cotmnunity health program of the part in the first day of activities which program. The arena’s 12,500 seats The advantages he noted are; Killian, second from right. Despite district would include chronic and com (See Page Ten) marked the official opening of the new were filled for the concert. Tickets to "There would be no net saving to the the weather, an estimated 15,000 per town under the present state subsidy if we multi-million-dollar civic, center com the first sports event — a New sons turned out to visit the new facili plex. In the picture above, Herald go into a district, but there would be an in England Whalers hockey game — ty and tour the Festival of Progress crease in services of approximately $37,- Photographer Steve Dunn captured a Saturday night are sold out. Below, being currently sponsored by the 000 in value; Crossroad Open House panoramic view of the Hartford Herald Chief Photographer Reggie Hartford Chamber of Commerce. "If we do not go into the district, we Symphony Orchestra and Glenn Pinto caught the ribbon cutting should expand the town budget in order to provide an adequate level of health ser Week to Start Sunday vices; “The state legislation, presently being proposed, could increase the subsidy if Crossroads, Manchester’s counseling "People are forgetting that there are recommendations of the state health and drug information center at 33 Park still a lot of drugs on the street, and kids department are supported.” (It now is.) St., will sponsor an open house starting and adults are using them. There are not The disadvantages he cites are: Sunday and continuing through Friday. as many arrests as before, and no longer "The town would have to buy, from the This will be a "get acquainted with us” are there the dramatic things of the ’60s district or private physicians, medical week to ailow the community a better un that catch people’s attention,” he said. services for school health and town derstanding of the purpose, operations and employe health services; staff of Crossroads, Jim Breitenfeld, "Kids today are more sophisticated and keep their use of drugs out of the public "The Town Board of Directors and director of the center, said. Certain time fi manager would lose direct control over periods have been scheduled for each eye. At one point, it was college-age the health function.” professional group so that the staff may youths and high school dropouts; now we discuss or answer questions about are concerned with those of junior high More Study Recommended Crossroads. age, and it is not unusual for us to work He recommended that the Board of Parents and concerned adults are in with seventh graders. On occasion, we Directors meet with the local ad hoc com vited to visit Crossroads Thursday from 6 have dealt with children in third, fourth mittee this month to explore fully all to 9 p.m. A coffee house for teen-agers is and sixth grades,” he said. aspects of the proposed district before scheduled for Tuesday from 6 to 9 p.m., Crossroads handled 319 new cases in taking final action at the February board and all Manchester young people may visit 1974 compared to 264 new cases in 1973, meeting. the center on Friday from 2 to 5 p.m. Breitenfeld reported. Most people stay If Manchester is to go with the district Sunday’s open house is for members of long enough so that we can see some setup in the next fiscal year, a decision the congregation of St. Mary’s Episcopal changes in their behavior, he said. will have to be reached in February in Church, owner of the building which order to get into the state budget process houses Crossroads. “We are involved in drug education for for state funding as well as determining “The abuse of drugs,” Breitenfeld said, fourth, fifth and sixth grades, and spend a what would be required in our local “continues to be a serious problem for a lot of time in the schools, working with budget, Weiss said.