Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1954, Part 1

Author: Quincy (Mass.)
Publication date: 1954
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 100


USA > Massachusetts > Norfolk County > Quincy > Inaugural address of the mayor, with the annual report of the officers of the city of Quincy for the year 1954 > Part 1


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THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1641 0097 6822 1


THOMAS CRANE PUBLIC LIBRARY QUINCY, MASS.


CITY APPROPRIATION


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 with funding from Boston Public Library


https://archive.org/details/inauguraladdress 1954quin


1625 -- 1954


QUINCY


1954 ANNUAL REPORT of the


City of Quinry, Massachusetts


HURRICANE CAROL


The magnificent picture on the cover was taken during the furious peak of Hurricane Carol, August 31, 1954, by Charles Dixon of Squantum, distinguished news photographer. It shows the 51-year-old auxiliary catboat Onkahye, once owned by the American actor DeWolfe Hopper, but then the property of Charles R. Herbert, commissioner of public works, pounding on the rocks off Squantum beach where she was driven ashore.


City of Quinry Massachusetts


184


16.25 SMANET . 170


QUINCY 1886


ANNUAL CITY REPORT 1954


This annual report is prepared under the direction of the City Manager


Credit: Pictures marked "QPI." are by courtesy of the Quincy Patriot Ledger


Table of Contents


SECTION ONE - HISTORIC QUINCY


Page


QUINCY. MASSACHUSETTS. U. S. A.


3


THE MAYOR


4


THE CITY COUNCIL


5


PREFACE


7


DIRECTORY OF CITY OFFICIALS


8-10


THE CITY MANAGER REPORTS


11-16


HOW YOUR TAX DOLLAR WAS SPENT


17


QUINCY INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE


18


SECTION TWO - MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS


CITY CLERK


30


LEGAL DEPARTMENT


30


CITY TREASURER


30


BOARD OF ASSESSORS


31


COLLECTOR OF TAXES


31


PURCHASING DEPARTMENT


32


LICENSE COMMISSION


32


HEALTII DEPARTMENT


33


HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT


35


FIRE DEPARTMENT


36


POLICE DEPARTMENT


41


WELFARE DEPARTMENT


47


PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT


HIGHWAY, SANITATION


37


FORESTRY


38


WATER


38


CEMETERIES


39


SEWERS


39


ENGINEERS


40


WOODWARD SCHOOL FOR GIRLS


32


VETERANS SERVICES


37


WIRE INSPECTOR


40


RECREATION COMMISSION


40


RETIREMENT BOARD


42


BUILDING INSPECTOR


43


PARK DEPARTMENT


43


LIBRARY DEPARTMENT


44


MANAGERS OF HISTORICAL PLACES


45


CIVIL DEFENSE


45


STATE ELECTION RESULTS


46


DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING


47


SCHOOL DEPARTMENT


48


PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT


50


SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES


51


QUINCY HOUSING AUTHORITY


51


BOARD OF RENT CONTROL


52


SECTION THREE - FINANCIAL STATISTICS


AUDITOR OF ACCOUNTS


54


OFFICE OF THE COLLECTOR


67


OFFICE OF THE TREASURER


73


BOARD OF ASSESSORS


81


QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS, U. S. A.


THE QUINCY OF YESTERDAY


Quincy cherishes a colorful past of national historieal signifieanee: much early American history was wrought here.


John Adams. John Quincy Adams and John Hancock were born here; the Presidents and their wives are buried here.


John Smith explored these shores in 1614.


Myles Standish was piloted here by Chief Squanto in 1621.


Captain Wollaston established a trading post here in 1625.


Morton set up the first Maypole in America here in 1627.


Standish arrested Morton here in 1628 for roistering with the Indians.


The first commercial railroad in the United States was built here in 1826 to haul stone for the build- ing of Bunker Hill Monument.


Quiney was incorporated as part of Braintree in 1640: was incorporated as a separate town in 1792; was chartered as a eity in 1888.


Quiney has been famous for its great men and for its granite and shipbuilidng industries. It is the home of Bethlehem's Quiney Yard, one of the world's great shipyards.


In 1954 the City of Quiney memorialized its rieh past by publishing a revised and enlarged edition of William Churchill Edwards" "Historie Quiney".


THE QUINCY OF TODAY


Quiney today is a flourishing eity of some 85,000 inhabitants. situated across the Neponset River from Boston.


Quiney, the Gateway of the South Shore, has healthy, diversified industries, a fast growing retail area and a nationally famous off-street parking facility that has been an outstanding factor in the city's coveted economie virility.


Quiney offers fine opportunities for working, for playing, for living and for bringing up families.


Quiney's 26 miles of waterfront, only partially commercialized, provides excellent recreational facili- ties and at the same time provides potential deep-water sites for vast industrial development possibilities.


Quiney's assessed valuation for 1954 is $158,384.000. Value of building permits for the year is $4,891,000. These permits provided for the construction of 184 single family homes at an estimated cost of $1,363,000.


Quiney is the shopping Meeea for an area in which more than 300,000 people live. Retail sales in Quiney were estimated around $120,000.00.


Annual Report


3


THE MAYOR


Honorable AMELIO DELLA CHIESA Mayor 1954-1955


Ward Councilor 1944-1949 Councilor at Large 1950-1955 Council President 1948 State Representative 1953-1956


1954


THE CITY COUNCIL 1955


LOU


Seated, left to right: Amelio Della Chiesa. Mayor 1954-1955; David S. Melntosh. Mayor 1952-1953: standing, Couneilors Carl W. Anderson, David J. Crowley, Alfred G. Helfrich, Frank E. MaeDonald. and Edna B. Austin. viee-chairman, 1954-1955.


Council Committee Chairmen - Finanee. Couneilor Austin; Ordinances. Conneilor MacDonald; Publie Safety. Couneilor Helfrich: Publie Health and Welfare. Councilor Melntosh: Publie Service and Euter- prises. Councilor Helfrich: Veterans Services. Councilor Anderson; Publie Works, Councilor Crowley.


QPL Foto


Annual Report


5


Section One HISTORIC QUINCY


Preface


These pages tell the story of Quincy's municipal government in 1954. The story is told simply in words, pictures and figures.


The primary objective of this annual report is to inform the people of Quincy how their elected officials operated their local government during the year, to give them an accounting of their tax dollars. This money was taken from them through taxation: they have the right to know where it went and what they got for it.


The secondary objective is to make this story interesting and under- standable. Unless it is interesting, it will not be read; unless it is under- standable, it will not be understood. The better the citizens understand their government, the better government they will demand and get.


Quincy's rich recorded history goes back 340 years to 1614 when that doughty adventurer Captain John Smith explored its bold shore- line. The names of Adams and Hancock are Quincy names. Quincy quarried granite for Bunker Hill monument. Quincy built a fleet of fighting ships that helped win two world wars. Quincy men and women did much to make America great.


Quincy people are prond of this illustrious past, but they are far more concerned with the present and the future. Their chief concern is that Quincy continue to be. and increasingly so. the kind of a com- munity that will give boys and girls of today and tomorrow the oppor- tunity to develop those qualities of body and mind and heart that will enable them to emulate the magnificent contributions of their distin- guished predecessors.


To this end the municipal government of Quincy must be dedicated.


Annual Report -


7


DIRECTORY OF CITY OFFICIALS


(Elected by the l'oters)


CITY COUNCIL


AMELIO DELLA CHIESA, Mayor EDNA B. AUSTIN, Vice-Chairman CARL W. ANDERSON DAVID J. CROWLEY


ALFRED G. HELFRICH


FRANK E. MACDONALD


DAVID S. McINTOSH


SCHOOL COMMITTEE


AMELIO DELLA CHIESA, Chairman, ex-officio


A. WENDELL CLARK, Vice-Chairman


DR. CHARLES DJERF PAUL K. DUFFEY ETHEL B. WILEY DR. JOSEPH E. MCDERMOTT ALICE MITCHIELL


CITY OFFICERS


(Appointed by the City Council)


City Auditor ALEXANDER SMITH


City Clerk


HATTIEMAY THOMAS, Retired


City Clerk DONALD P. CRANE


Clerk of Committees PERCY N. LANE


(Appointed by the School Committee)


Superintendent of Schools PAUL GOSSARD


(Appointed by the City Manager )


Administrative Assistant EDWARD T. LEWIS


Chairman Park Commission J. ERNEST COLLINS City Solicitor GEORGE W. ARBUCKLE Assistant City Solicitor DOUGLAS A. RANDALL


City Physician DR. WILLIAM R. HELFRICH


Commissioner of Public Works CHARLES R. HERBERT


Director of Civil Defense THOMAS F. McDONALD


Director of Veterans' Services


Director of Finance


Director of Hospital


Harbor Master .. KENNETH YOERGER


Healthı Commissioner


DR. BROOKS RYDER


Purchasing Agent


JOSEPH A. E. ERICKSON


Shellfish Constable CARMELLO MOREALE


Treasurer and Collector MILDRED L. TYLER, Retired


Treasurer and Collector FREDERIC A. MOONEY, JR.


Board of Assessors N. GORHAM NICKERSON, Chairman WILLIAM J. CALLAHAN ARNOLD O. EASTMAN


(Selected through Civil Service)


Building Inspector ALRICK A. WEIDMAN


Commissioner of W'elfare ANTHONY J. VENNA


Director of Planning WILLIAM G. FARRAR, Resigned


Fire Chief THOMAS F. GORMAN


Personnel Director


GERTRUDE M. McGILL


Police Chief WILLIAM FERRAZZI


Sealer Weights and Measures


HENRY H. HUGHES


Superintendent of Cemetery ARTHUR W. DRAKE


Superintendent of Engineering HENRY F. NILSEN


Superintendent of Forestry A. WARREN STEWART


Superintendent of Highways AMBROSE IGO


Superintendent of Sewers . PATRICK TYMON


Superintendent of Water Division JAMES P. DONOVAN


Wire Inspector FRANK LINTS


Plumbing Inspector


JOHN F. HAGERTY


BOARDS


ADAMS TEMPLE AND SCHOOL FUND


(Board of Managers)


WILLIAM J. DEEGAN, ex-officio AMELIO DELLA CHIESA, ex-officio MILDRED L. TYLER. ex-officio FREDERIC A. MOONEY, JR. WILLIAM C. EDWARDS, Clerk GEORGE W. ARBUCKLE


City of Quincy


8


EDMUND F. GENEREAU


ALEXANDER SMITH


DR. JOSEPH P. LEONE


350541


DIRECTORY OF CITY OFFICIALS


ADAMS TEMPLE AND SCHOOL FUND (Board of Supervisors)


CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, Chairman, deceased THOMAS S. BURGIN WILLIAM C. EDWARDS, Clerk ROBERT M. FAXON N. GORHAM NICKERSON


BOARD OF APPEALS, BUILDING


JOHN J. GALLAGHER, Chairman PAUL N. SULLIVAN, Secretary JAMES R. HANLON


BOARD OF APPEALS, ZONING


HIESLIP E. SUTHERLAND. Chairman


WALTER H. HOLLAND JOHN H. FALLON ( Alternates) GUY L. HARDEN, deceased WILLIAM H. COUCH IVAR LOFGREN HENRY F. NILSEN, Clerk


BOARD OF LITERARY REVIEW


REV. PETER COREA, Chairman IDA G. GLASSER KATHERINE I. QUINN


BOARD OF MANAGERS OF HISTORICAL PLACES


WILLIAM C. EDWARDS, Chairman GEORGE L. ANDERSON


MRS. GEORGE H. BONSALL MRS. MAURICE P. SPILLANE


BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSIONERS


THOMAS F. GORMAN, Chairman. ex-officio DR. BROOKS RYDER. ex-officio WILLIAM FERRAZZI, ex-officio


HATTIEMAY THOMAS, ex-officio, retired ALRICK A. WEIDMAN, ex-officio DONALD P. CRANE, ex-officio 1957


Q.R. 352


QUA


C


BOARD OF HOSPITAL MANAGERS


GUY W. HIART, Chairman Z. CRANSTON SMITH PAUL E. HURLEY JOSEPH B. GROSSMAN, 2nd GEORGE W. ARBUCKLE


QUINCY HOUSING AUTHORITY


LOUIS A. GEORGE, Chairman MATTHEW CUSHING


REV. VICTOR V. SAWYER GERALD J. HURLEY DANIEL J. DACEY J. GIRARD WHITE, Director


PARK BOARD


J. ERNEST COLLINS, Chairman WILLIAM J. MITCHELL KENNETH P. FALLON, JR.


RETIREMENT BOARD


GEORGE H. BONSALL, Chairman ALEXANDER SMITII, ex-officio LEON E. RAICHE


RECREATION COMMISSION


J. ERNEST COLLINS, Chairman GILBERT L. CROFTS KENNETH P. FALLON, JR. KATHERINE G. McCOY WILLIAM J. MITCHELL JOSEPH E. MCDERMOTT WALLACE ROCKWELL


REGISTRARS OF VOTERS


MARY E. HURNEY WILLIAM F. MAHAR HATTIEMAY THOMAS, retired CHARLES H. THORNER DONALD P. CRANE


Annual Report


9


DIRECTORY OF CITY OFFICIALS


PLANNING BOARD


WALTER A. SCHMITZ. Chairman


FRED E. BERGFORS, SR. JOHN P. FLAVIN C. FRANCIS N. ROBERTS ERNEST N. GELOTTE


WILLIAM G. FARRAR, Director, resigned


WOODWARD SCHOOL FOR GIRLS


(Board of Managers)


WILLIAM J. DEEGAN, JR., ex-officio MILDRED L. TYLER, ex-officio, retired HATTIEMAY THOMAS. ex-officio, retired ALEXANDER SMITH, ex-officio


FREDERIC A. MOONEY, JR., ex-officio DONALD P. CRANE. ex-officio


JACK MCCRACKEN. Elected by Council


( Board of Trustees ) QUINCY MINISTERS


REV. CHARLES WING. Chairman KATHERINE BACON, Principal


THOMAS CRANE LIBRARY TRUSTEES


L. PAUL MARINI, Chairman D. FOSTER TAYLOR CHESTER WEEDEN SAMUEL P. COFFMAN


CLARA COSTANZA DR. JOHN E. McGINTY GEORGIANA C. LANE. Honorary GERTRUDE F. CALLAHAN, Librarian


*BOARD OF RENT CONTROL


ARTHUR I. BURGESS, Chairman, resigned JOSEPH P. McDONOUGH. Chairman HARRY E. WILKINS, resigned PHOEBE FORSYTHE IRVING COUGHLIN FRANCIS HACKETT LAWRENCE J. JOHNSON RITA SHERRY FRANK COFFMAN


GEORGE C. SMITH


HESLIP E. SUTHERLAND ALLAN MONTGOMERY RALPH W. LAKIN, Director


* Rent Control expired by law in Quincy June 30. 1954


*ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HEALTH


MRS. EDWARD F. MEDLEY NATHANIEL M. SHERMAN JOHN D. BURNS


DR. EDWARD F. FITZGERALD WILLIAM J. MARTIN DR. MORGAN SARGENT


* Appointed September 29, 1954


City of Quincy


10


1640


. 1623


170


QUINCY 1888


Wm. J. Deegan, Jr. City Manager


THE MANAGER SPEAKS


City of Quincy Massachusetts


Madam Councillor and Gentlemen:


We have just completed five years of the Council-Manager form of government in Quincy. It has been five full years of concerted effort directed to modernizing and stabilizing the governmental functions of a dynamic and growing city. Simultaneous effort has been devoted to creat- ing an atmosphere of racial, religious, political, labor and geographic harmony and understanding; to a broadening of the tax base; to an increase in the productivity and earning capacity of our community and to providing greater and more diversified job opportunities for our people.


In my opinion we have been singularly successful in all of these efforts and Quincy of today offers extensive proof of the value of these accomplishments.


Five years ago, as we embarked on the corporate form of govern- ment organization, the most serious problem facing us was the political and professional problems of the Quincy Hospital. A situation existed with regard to the quality and quantity of patient care and with regard to political interference with the functioning of the institution so that the hospital carried only a conditional approval as a general hospital and its income was less than 58% of the expense of operation. Today the Quincy City Hospital proudly carries the unlimited approval of the American Medical Association, the American College of Surgeons, and the American Hospital Association and is certified as a four year training school in surgery - one of eight hospitals in Massachusetts so recognized and certified.


Internally, the most gigantic task faced by the new form of gov- ernment was the establishment of a modern, mechanized accounting system for fiscal affairs, in order to have facts and figures which properly reflected the custody and use of public funds. The system installed has become a model in the commonwealth for other cities and towns to emulate and hardly a week passes that we do not answer inquiries or entertain visitors relating to the operation of the system. This modern accounting system is the basis for firm management control of all financial matters and has made possible continuing careful analysis of our financial struc- ture and the subsequent corrective measures designed to reduce the unit cost of government and public service. Strict and complete financial information has made possible a fuller realization of incomes due the city from its several sources resulting in an increase in income - other than state-shared taxes - of more than $2,018,853 over 1949; an increase of more than 88.8%.


The hospital again highlights the developments in this particular field since the fiscal position of the hospital as it existed in 1949, if continued, would have required the taxpayers to pay $1,428, 637.53 more in taxes during the past five years than was actually levied to pay the annual deficits. Actually, hospital incomes have been increased more than 86.7% during the past five years and the annual deficit has been reduced more than 44%. The deficit of 1949 required a tax levy of $4.54/1000. The deficit of 1954, only $2.29/1000.


The significant result of this program of strict accountability is seen in the announcement of Moody's Investors Syndicate on July 9th, 1954, that effective July 12th, 1954 Quincy General Obligation Bonds would carry


a rating of Aa. This upgrading of Quincy's bond rating recognizes the stability of the local government, the sound- ness of its management policies, the rigidity and accuracy of fiscal controls, and the civic harmony and progressiveness that has resulted. According to a bond yield scale for Decem- ber 1954, this advanced bond rating, if maintained, should save the taxpayers of Quincy more than $400,000 in interest costs on the capital improvement bonds which must be issued in the next few years.


During the past five years great strides have been made in the field of employer-employee relations. Prior to the advent of the Council-Manager form of government the patronage plan existed to a large degree in that portion of employment exempt from the Civil Service regulations. This particularly affected major department heads and other key employees who were hired on the basis of who they knew rather than what they knew. Also positions on the Civil Service lists were repeatedly jumped for patronage reasons. There was


little fairness or equity in employee compensation rates, ben- efits or privileges - these largely being left to the discre- tion of the individual department or political largess. The general wage level of city employees was lower than comparable positions in the area or in comparable cities and towns.


The creation of employee committees for position classification and wage equalization studies produced a fair, equitable and workable plan for all employees of the city service. On-the-job training programs have increased the pro- fessional skill of many employees and have permitted their rapid advancement in the ranks. Some have left the city serv- ice for positions far beyond and above the normal requirements of their city employment and are making enviable records.


Administrators have been selected from lists of trained, qualified and experienced applicants. Appointments from the Civil Service lists have been made with strict adher- ence to the principle that the high man had earned the oppor- tunity and thus was entitled to the appointment regardless of his political status. Employees have been provided with work- able grievance machinery and their individual and departmental problems are given prompt attention. Employee morale and proficiency is extremely high and they have developed a coop- erative effort for many services. As a consequence, the cal- ibre of public service now being rendered to the citizens of Quincy has been materially improved, and the unit cost re- duced. While the total number of permanent city employees has increased only slightly during the past five years, the amount paid to city employees in the form of paid vacations, holi- days and sick leave have been granted on a uniform basis to all employees.


Several departments have developed techniques and pro- grams which have given Quincy much favorable publicity as well as bringing credit and acclaim to the department heads and employees involved. Outstanding among these programs are the integration, medical and supervisory plans of the Welfare De- partment developed by Anthony Venna; the health education pro- gram developed under Dr. Brooks Ryder in the Health Depart- ment; the adult education and recreational programs of the library system developed by Miss Gertrude Callahan, librarian; and the Police Boys Club sponsored by Chief Ferrazzi and di-


rected by Officers Spencer and Kusser. The Personnel Depart- ment under Miss Gertrude McGill and the Purchasing Department under Joseph Erickson have also both come in for more than their share of favorable comment from outsiders.


In the field of public works, we have during the past five years placed greater emphasis on capital improvements than had been prevalent or possible for quite some years. As a typical example, the water distribution system had received its last major repairs in 1926, and since that period, of course, very drastic upheavals have occurred in the location of our resident population, as well as a very substantial growth in our total population. We found ourselves in 1950 with a distribution system completely inadequate for our needs. In the past five years we have laid 65,525 feet of new mains, and have replaced 9187 feet of under-sized pipe as well as having cleaned and relined 33,475 feet of water mains which had been so filled with mineral deposits that their effective diameter had been reduced approximately 75%. Areas formerly plagued with low water pressure and which were, in some in- stances, completely without water during certain periods of the year, now are receiving adequate water supplies for per- sonal use as well as fire protection.


It was surprising to find in 1950 that a city the size of Quincy could have such extensive areas not served by ade- quate sanitary sewerage systems. It was unfortunate that political retribution had denied for almost thirty years peti- tions from the people for sanitary sewerage facilities in areas such as Rock Island. During the past five years, vir- tually every request for sanitary sewers has been met and dur- ing this period we have constructed 48,823 lineal feet of sewer mains, and 75,675 feet of particular sewers; more than 1,692 house connections have been added.


The annual reports show that for a period of almost twelve years, little or no street construction or reconstruc- tion, resurfacing, or reoiling had been done. Of course, dur- ing the war years, materials and man-power were not available, but five years had elapsed between the end of the war and 1950, during which time much of this work could have been done for costs 50% to 60% less than today's prices. The condition


of our street system was deplorable, and during 1950 the ma- . jority of complaints received by the manager's office related to the condition of street surfaces, sidewalks and storm drains. You will recall that we proposed to the City Council a very ambitious street resurfacing program which, if under- taken, would have restored a majority of our streets to pass- able condition and continued the life of many of them for a number of years. Unfortunately, the permission sought from the Legislature for a borrowing of this kind was scuttled by our own elected representatives from this district. Since then, we have been undertaking a peace-meal modernization of our highway system, and from bond proceeds, taxes and surplus, we have during the past five years, constructed 26,305 lineal feet of new streets, reconstructed 46,997 lineal feet of existing streets, and resurfaced 145,707 feet of streets to extend their useful life. In the course of this work, we have also constructed 36,696 lineal feet of storm drains in order to relieve some of the worst flooding and property destruction caused by an inadequate storm drain system.


A major problem which we were called upon to face at the beginning of 1950, and one which will continue to plague public officers for the next five to seven years, is the in- creasing school enrollment and the necessity for constructing new school facilities. During the past five years, we have completed construction, or have under contract, or being planned for construction, 13 buildings and additions which will provide housing accommodations for 3765 pupils. The total expenditure, all of which will be met by the issuance of long-term general obligation bonds totals the amount of $5,818,485.96. There still is before us at least two build- ings to provide classroom accommodations for 930 pupils expected to enter the school system by 1960. At the present day prices these facilities should cost in the neighborhood of $2,000,000. Such a program of expansion of school facilities of necessity increases the annual tax requirements for the retirement of the debt and for the payment of interest as each of the new buildings or classrooms open. There is, of course, the added direct cost of education, which includes the teachers, and other direct costs at an average of approxi- mately $241. 00 per pupil per year. With increased enrollment


expected annually for the next six or seven years, the school budget may be expected to increase in direct proportion. In


an effort to minimize the impact of this program, we have been very carefully reviewing the facilities proposed for the new schools as well as the class of construction employed in their design. We have been very successful in reducing school con- struction costs and we are at the present time well below the state average in the construction cost of our modern schools. We have rejected projects which would have required an invest- ment beyond that which we believed reasonable - typical was the Hillside School which, if built, would have required an investment for construction of $1,364.00 per pupil of capac- ity. The substitute building now under construction on Fur- nace Brook Parkway, though larger, will require a construction investment of only $872.63 per pupil. Based upon the capacity of the present project this represents a savings of more than $250,000.00 in bond principal and interest.


Externally, the results of the last five years have been equally profitable and have resulted in Quincy's gaining a civic maturity which is recognized as such, and envied by many communities. The very courageous and far-thinking policy which has made possible the continuing construction program in the field of off-street parking has, in the very short period of five years, shown that a city can if it will, defend itself against the growing trend of suburbanitis. We, as many of the older communities, face the threat of planned shopping centers located in our suburbs which syphon off the retail sales and the earning and taxpaying capacity of our high-valued downtown business district. The reports of the Boston University - Boston Herald survey of the shopping habits of Greater Boston confirmed beyond any shadow of a doubt the wisdom of a policy to spend three quarters of a million dollars in the establish- ment of additional off-street parking as an attraction to potential shoppers. According to reports by the Chamber of Commerce, the retail sales in Quincy have increased more than 40% in the past three years and the increased investments in the vicinity of the parking areas will, in themselves, at the




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