Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-04-16
The New Tax Law Applied to School
Districts,
RRNaoN AnriI 1873.

BENSON, April 7, 1873.
Editor Rutldnd Herald In your paper
of this date l find an extract from the Mont
pelier FREEMAN relating to the change made
in section sixty.seven of chapter eighty-four
of the General Statutes, entitled d" or collec-
ton of taxes" by number eight of the acts
of 1872, in which am referred to for the
reasons for said change.
They are as follows: Under the law IN the
General Statutes. taxes voted at the annual
school meetings the last Tuesday in March,
for defraying the expenses OF the winter
school, and other school district expenses,
could not be assessed until after the grand
list was completed on the 18th day OF May,
and then there must be sufficient time to col
lect this tax, thereby delaying the settlement
of the accounts for the expenses OF the WIN
ter school until midsummer, and later In
some instances whereas. under the law as
amended by the act of 1872, taxes voted at
the annual school meeting may be assessed
and collected at once, and the school district
treasurer will then be prepared to pay teach
ers and not keep them waiting for their
wages from three TO five months.
l introduced the bill at the request OF per
sons who we're familiar with the working OF
the law in country school districts.
| Which is the better way, the old or the
new?
Respectfully your servant,
L. HOWARD KELLOGG.
The Herald. in commenting upon this state
ment of Mr.. Kellogg, says
| Under the state of facts, or under the
practice, referred to by him, the bill
would seem to be all proper and right.
We know not to how great an extent such
practice prevails throughout the State. 1t
certainly is not the rule in Rutland. OuI
practice has been, at orr annual school meet
ings, to raise money to pay the current ex-
penses of the year, not of the past year. we
believe this is the true way.
The Herald also concludes that our school
laws are an incomprehensible middle, aud
says it thought we /" had Board of Educa-
ton and Secretary of the Board OF Educa-
ton, whose duty was something besides pre-
scribing text books" The Herald should bt
very moderate, for who knows who the "per.
sons - referred to by Mr.. Kellogg, were
Any way the man who, to soothe the woes
of martyr teachers, evolved from his innel
consciousness a law that has involved sc
many districts in bad tangle, should b.
a good hani at figures The trouble caused
is entirely disproportionate to the evil cor
rected School districts were responsible
before that law was passed, and if they were
mean enough to keep teacher out of hi
pay after he had earned it, he had a yer.
simple remedy.
The general practice throughout th
State, so far as our knowledge, Information
and belief extends, is for the annual meeting
By law obliged to be holden on the last Tues
day of March, to vote sufficient tax to de
fray the expenses of the coming summer
school, and provide for the wood, incidental
and perhaps some other expenses of the win
ter term. The public money-equaling a
least per cent. of the grand list of the di;
trict-which is divided among the severa
{ districts on the Friday prior to the aHnus
m>eting-is in most cases sufficient to pa
) the wages of the winter teachers. Thi
.. money is directly available at the close of th
winter school, and OF course, so far as it goes
it comes in play to save the teachers bein
obliged to wait fJr their wages from thre
to five months The little balance some
times left over can usually be carried by
! district treasurer, without great hardship
until it's payment is provided for in the est
> mates of the coming year. We think ii
, next Legislature will repeal this law {
+ change the time of holding the annual schoo
i meeting into April.